


When We Kiss, Fire

by alinalotus



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, and NaruHina, and shikatema, but the focus is KakaSaku because they're just so dumb and so in love, oh and JiraTsuna, some KankIno
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-24 03:47:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30066186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alinalotus/pseuds/alinalotus
Summary: "Come hell or high water, Hatake," Sakura said, her eyes narrowed to a slit, finger continually jabbing him in the chest, "if you kiss me again, it'll be the last thing you. ever.do."Kakashi is nothing if not stubborn, and Sakura is nothing if not...temperamental. Going from wanting to kill Kakashi to daydreaming about him will do that to a girl.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Hatake Kakashi
Kudos: 45





	When We Kiss, Fire

**This turned out so (like, ridiculously) much longer than I thought it would. Sorry about that. I apologize for any mistakes. Warnings are language and sexual situations.**

__

_You say you don't love me  
Girl you can't hide your desire   
'Cause when we kiss   
Fire _

_Your words say split  
But your words they lie   
'Cause when we kiss..._

"Come hell or high water, Hatake," Sakura said, her eyes narrowed to a slit, finger continually jabbing him in the chest (he was sure he'd find several bruises under his vest come tomorrow) "if you kiss me again, it'll be the last thing you. ever. _do_." 

Her words were like the rattle of a snake's tail, and as first and foremost a man of survival, Kakashi knew the best thing to do at this point was step out of striking distance. But as Tsunade often told him, he wasn't exactly the sharpest kunai in the pouch.

"You can deny it all you want, Sakura-chan, but you love me and there's- "

Sakura interrupted him with a high-pitched, incredulous laugh. "You're so damn arrogant! What, because you're slightly more appealing than a dumpster fire and mildly successful at not getting yourself killed- ” 

"Been thinking about me that much, have you? I won't say I disagree with you, I _am_ quite the looker, aren't I? Sounds like you fell for me quite some time ago." Kakashi wiggled an eyebrow at her. 

Sakura shoved her palm forward into his stomach, causing him to fly a few feet backward. "Don't put words in my mouth! And don't assume anything, because you don't know anything! What makes you think I love you, anyway? And _why_ , why to the Hokages, are you so bent on proving it?!" 

Kakashi, now comfortably sitting on the ground with his elbow resting on his knee, shrugged. "I just like stating the obvious. Once we get past your denial, then things..." Kakashi paused, his eye crinkling as, under his mask, a smile spread across his face, "can get...ah, interesting." 

"Denial? You've really gone off the deep end, haven't you?" Sakura scoffed, kicking the nearest rock at Kakashi. He deflected it easily, was on his feet and behind her before Sakura even saw him move. He really was the fastest ninja she'd ever known. 

"Just remember..." Through the flimsy material tucked into his turtleneck, his breath was hot against the back of her neck, and she could feel that he wanted to press his lips to her skin. A part of her, a bigger part than she would ever admit, wanted him to as well, "that I don't give up easily." And he was gone, nothing but a slight whirl of leaves indicating the spot where he'd been standing. 

Sakura gritted her teeth, balling her fists. What was it about him, about Kakashi, that got her so...so worked up? He was only an idiot, after all- they _all_ were. Every goddamn shinobi she'd ever met, ever healed, ever seen, ever tried to date. Maybe that was her problem- maybe lasting happiness rested with civilians, and not those that were as deep into the life of a ninja as she was. She severely doubted that would matter, though. At some point Sakura had to accept that some of the responsibility for her miserable love life- or lack thereof, obviously- rested on her own shoulders. But this wasn't about _love_ , no matter what Kakashi foolishly said. Yes, that was it. Kakashi was just that- a big dumb fool. A big dumb, sexy, strong, funny fool- _listen.to.yourself. Get a goddamn grip!_ Gritting her teeth, Sakura took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm down- she refused to react like this. No need to fly off the handle, of course. That would be just what Kakashi wanted.   
  
Kakashi...he affected her in a way nobody else could, and that was really the root of the whole damn problem, of her anger, because she'd sworn long ago that she'd never let a man, particularly one she was already close to, mean so much to her in that rather annoying, intimate way. If anything, Sasuke had done that much good for her- helped her build up the walls that had been necessary to resume a semi-normal life after he'd abandoned Team Seven. But what is normal for a ninja? Certainly not making ridiculous accusations and kissing her. _Him_ , kissing _her_! Him, flirting with her! Making her head swim, making her heart pound, making her chakra dance with pleasure... 

But it was _Kakashi_. He was probably just bored. Mind games and come-ons, they seemed his sort of humor, no doubt fueled by some sordid _Icha Icha_ chapter he'd just read. She let out a small breath- yes, that's all it had been. Kakashi playing around, Kakashi joking. He was probably having a laugh about it right now. 

Sakura wiped her hands on her shorts, her face grim as she made her way back to the nearest road. She refused to acknowledge that the idea of it all being mere entertainment for her former sensei made her stomach clench with disappointment.

**oooo**

"Ah, good Sakura, I need you in room five. One of the trainees did a physical already- I just need you to look over the chart and make sure everything is good to go. And you have an appointment waiting in Exam B." Shizune passed off a few files to Sakura, who tucked them under her arm without looking at the names. She was still mildly upset about the _incident_ earlier, and had been half-tempted to have Ino cover her shift for the evening. In the end her work ethic had prevailed, and she'd shown up a few minutes early to lend Shizune a hand. Sakura slid through the door to one of the exam rooms, the door hitting the wall with a bang, unable to keep the glower off her face as she yanked open the nearest cabinet and pulled out gloves. 

Love him?! Love _him_! He'd finally lost his mind. Just who did he think he was, so casually throwing that word around anyway? It wasn't as if she'd done anything to purposely make him think that. They were friends, sure- they went out sometimes, but not for anything more than a drink after a mission, or he'd come over to her place when she'd rented a movie he was interested in seeing. Typical! Just because she welcomed him into her life he assumed she'd what, jump into bed with him?! Beg to be his "girl"? _Ha_! As if! 

"Er, ready when you are, Haruno-san...." The timid medic who stood beside the exam table cleared his throat. 

Sakura blinked. Damn him! Damn Kakashi to a thousand fiery, _Icha Icha_ -free hells for distracting her like this. She swore to Kami if she even saw the slightest hint of silver right now she'd punch through a wall. 

"Right." Sakura looked over at the patient- Kiba- and gave him a small, apologetic smile. He smiled back, and from a box beside the gloves, Sakura pulled out a treat, tossing it to Akamaru, who sat quietly and dutifully by the back wall. 

"Everything seems to be in order," Sakura glanced over the chart. The medic had been thorough, but then Sakura required this of all her trainees. Kiba hadn't gotten more than the typical cuts and bruises that came with every mission, and Akamaru had already been checked out Hana and given the all clear. "Feeling fine?" 

"Course. Didn't need this anyway, but Tsunade said she'd keep me from my next A-rank if I didn't get checked out." 

Sakura nodded. "It's protocol, you know that. Well, I'll just do a final look-over and then you'll be free to go. Hami," Sakura addressed the medic, who stood straighter under her stare, "what's up in B?" 

"Yes, Haruno-san, a spiral femur fracture. The patient arrived home from a mission this morning, but was...er... _detained_ by the Hokage in arriving to the clinic for treatment." 

“Detained” could only mean one thing, and Sakura didn't like to think of the tongue thrashing the shinobi must've gone through if Tsunade thought treatment of such a fracture could be delayed, just so she could ream them out. Of course, Tsunade usually used anger and insults to cover her true concern about her ninja, and a busted leg wasn't a small injury. Probably a reckless chunin acting without thinking, as usual- shinobi seemed to be under the very false impression they were invincible. 

"Lacerations?"

"Mild ones that were attended to in the field. Seven sutures total on the right forearm."

"I'll want to check them. Allergies?" Hami shook his head. "Put up the x-rays, administer twenty milligrams of morphine and I'll be in to look at the bone. Depending on the severity, I may be able to use chakra instead of surgery. Make the patient comfortable." A spiral femoral fracture? She hadn't seen one of those in a while. Typically they happened when an enemy got hold of your leg, up high on your thigh, and you did everything to get away. Simply put, the bone twisted, broke, and ended up looking like a striped candy cane. 

"Like you're speaking another language." Kiba said, as the medic hurried from the room. Sakura shrugged, concentrating her chakra in her right hand and running it down Kiba's spine. "I haven't seen you around lately." 

Sakura laughed. "Well, been a bit occupied. You know, lives to save and all." 

"Yeah," Kiba agreed, "don't know what we'd do without you. Saved all our asses more times than I can count."

"Just doing my job." Sakura shrugged again, "flex your knee." She moved down to his legs, thinking she should probably have Hami assist with the femur- he had a lot of promise, though he needed to gain some more composure where his higher-ups were concerned. Not that she minded having somebody a bit frightened of her- got work done, it did. 

"Say, Sakura, you wouldn't, you know, wouldn't wanna meet up somewhere, would you? It'd be- I mean, I think it would be- fun, and the Boardwalk won't be open for too much longer. "

Sakura was already thinking of an excuse not to go. It wasn't that she didn't like Kiba, they'd been comrades for so long, now, and sure he was sort of cute, charming in an off-beat kind of way. But a date at the Boardwalk....that wasn't something, at the moment, that genuinely appealed to her. Or was it because Kiba wasn't exactly the shinobi she'd want to be there with? 

Sakura pursed her lips tightly together, anger and disappointment once again bubbling in her stomach. No, no. She wouldn't think that, wouldn't go there. Even if she did ask Kakashi to do something like that- _not_ that she ever would, definitely not! she didn't think he'd say yes. The Boardwalk was, more or less, a conventional date and Kakashi definitely wasn't conventional. 

"Um, I suppose..." 

Kiba broke out in a wide grin. "Great! Have Ino corral someone and let's make it a double. Say, Thursday? I can pick you up and everything." 

For some reason, that annoyed her. She knew it was stupid, that Kiba was just being considerate. But her home was her territory, and she didn't invite just anybody there. It was her sanctuary, and that meant it was private. Kiba was a friend, yes, but not that good of one. 

"I'll meet you there. Have to work, you know. I get off at seven." 

Kiba nodded once. "Awesome. I'll be waiting in front of the skee ball." 

Sakura signed her name at the bottom of his chart. "Sounds like a plan. Give this to the nurse at the desk and she'll discharge you." 

Kiba grinned at her again as he and Akamaru left the room. Sakura sighed, leaning up against the counter. She didn't quite understand it, but she wasn't entirely thrilled with the idea of going out with him. It wasn't anything fancy, wasn't even anything more than a few friends (once she made Ino agree to tag along) meeting up before the Boardwalk closed until Spring. 

And yet....and yet Kakashi's words still rang in her ears, him so sure that she loved him, him so sure that she'd realize it soon, too, and once she did then things could get _interesting_. An involuntary shiver ran through her at the implications of that, of what that could mean with a man like him.

"Haruno-san," Hami raptly knocked on the door, "the patient in B is ready." 

Sakura nodded, slung her stethoscope back around her neck, and followed Hami down the hall where room B was. It was a larger examination room, one that could be turned into an OR at a moment's notice.

"Shizune-san checked the x-rays and upped the morphine to thirty MLs with an order to administer more if you felt it necessary. The break isn't as clean as we'd hoped." 

Sakura nodded, stopping at the door, frozen as her eyes fell on her new patient. After a sputtering heartbeat or two, she took in the mass of spiked silver, the sweaty mask, the Sharingan whirring as Kakashi's eyes darted around the room. He was in pain; she could tell that much, though he was trying to hide it.

How was this possible? Sakura had just seen him hours ago and he'd seemed fine. Hami said the patient had sustained injury during a mission, and yes Kakashi had mentioned, when he'd happened across her on her usual morning walk, that he'd just returned from one. He was ambling along as always, certainly not nursing a busted leg! He shouldn't have been able to walk! 

"Ten more MLs of morphine." Sakura snapped into action. Kakashi had an IV going, and Hami fiddled with the tubing. Kakashi's face relaxed a bit. "What the hell are you doing here?!" She hissed at him, pulling the tray of instruments Hami had set out over to her. 

"Bit of a problem with the leg, you know. Nothing out of the ordinary I'm sure." 

Sakura snorted, the glow of her chakra illuminating the room. "Your x-ray begs to differ.” Shit! She could feel the bone fragments through his skin, their edges jagged against her chakra stream. He'd need pins at the very least, and there were probably damaged blood vessels, too. "Why didn't you get this taken care of sooner?" She probed deeper into his leg, farther into his bone- she could feel a slight abrasion, almost like scar tissue; she recognized the feel of his own concentrated chakra. But, he couldn't have, even he wouldn't be that daft! "Did you try to fix this yourself?! Who was the medic on your team?" Sakura demanded.

Kakashi shook his head. "There wasn't one. Solo recon." Sakura glanced to his arm- the sutures Hami had mentioned weren't as neat as _hers_ would have been, but they would suffice. Especially considering Kakashi had done them himself. 

"And you've been back for hours! Why didn't you have Tsunade fix it when you reported to her? Gods, Kakashi, you're so-" 

"I had better things to do." 

" _Better things than getting your bloody leg put back together?!_ " 

Kakashi's breathing had evened out more, his face almost totally relaxed. The morphine was finally kicking in. "Much better," he murmured, "had a girl to kiss." 

Sakura's face flushed as she remembered his masked lips brushing hers, the smell of him, the feel of him up against her. "You were jumping around like a lunatic earlier! You were probably delirious. You need surgery." She said, pulling her hands away from him. 

"Worth it." 

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "You may have muscle damage from the edges of the bones."

Kakashi shrugged. "Worth it." 

"You absolute _bafoon_! Nothing is more important than treating mission injuries, and you know it! You're smarter than this, or at least I thought you were! What if it had been worse, huh? What if it had been a rib into your lung? Or your sternum into your heart? Would you have been so stupid as to wait, to hold off-" 

"Er, Haruno-san, he's...asleep." Hami interrupted, indicating Kakashi's closed eyes, open mouth, and deep breathing. 

Sakura ground her teeth together, gave the order for room sterilization and anesthetic, then left to scrub up.

**oooo**

The cafeteria was dark- though it was open 24 hours, mostly for the staff, the overhead lights were dimmed, to give the impression of it being late- as though anybody working at this hour had a concept of time! 

Sakura's plate of food sat in front of her, her usual nighttime fare- a burger, chips, coffee, whatever treat had been baked that morning. She probably should've gone for the salad, but as Ino had started to fill out upon giving up her ridiculous diet, Sakura hoped the same would happen to her. Though Ino's curves would most likely elude her forever, it was still a good excuse to eat whatever she wanted. 

"Excellent work, Sakura." Tsunade sat down in front of her, Kakashi's chart in her hand. "Even after the dumbass made it worse by walking on it, you managed to repair the bone, the surrounding muscle, and the blood vessels. Some of your best work, no doubt about it." 

Sakura smiled, taking a bite of her burger. Tsunade grabbed a few chips off her plate. "He's lucky to have you." Sakura met her master's eye for a moment. Was it just her, or was there a hidden meaning under her words? But Tsunade's honey stare was as impassive as ever. Honestly, she could rival Sai sometimes with her know-nothing facade.   


"Just doing my job." Sakua replied, though she appreciated Tsunade's praise almost more than anything. It was something that made the job easier to deal with, knowing that somebody of Lady Tsunade's caliber was proud of her. 

"He refused Shizune, you know." Tsunade said, tearing off a piece of the brownie beside Sakura's plate. 

Sakura's eyes widened in surprise. "I knew she checked the x-rays, but-"

"The only one he said he trusted enough was you." 

Sakura swallowed thickly. Kakashi _trusted_ her. He wanted her, her alone, to treat him. He wasn't stupid, he wasn't a stranger to the hospital. He must've known his injury would require invasive treatment. The only person better than Shizune at surgery was Tsunade. Sure, Sakura had begun to make a name for herself, she had, as Kiba said, saved asses so many times it was lucky they had her. Not that she had a big head or anything, but she had worked her fingers to the bone to be where she was, and it was nice that people recognized it. 

"Trust...." Tsunade mused, and Sakura pushed the rest of the brownie towards her, "is the most important thing in the world to shinobi. We, who have been let down our entire lives, who have lost and lost again, who have had our hearts broken..." Tsunade's stare was far away from the hospital cafeteria. 

"Kakashi's had his heart broken?" The words were out before Sakura could help it. She had been curious about Kakashi since she was a genin, they all had been. Who wouldn't be? The man was an enigma. 

Tsuande blinked, then gave a small smile. "One of the many hazards of our line of work it would seem. Anyway, as I said, well done. You should head home and get some sleep." 

Sakura shook her head. "I'm going to wait until he wakes up. I've got some colorful words for him." 

Tsunade stood, leaving Kakashi's chart behind. “Don't be too hard on him...shinobi have done stupider things for girls they loved less.” Before Sakura could protest at that, work out what had been said, Tsunade swept from the room, the cafeteria door closing behind her with a bang. 

**oooo**

Thanks to Sakura's skill, the Nara's antibiotics, and Kakashi's innate healing ability, he was on his feet and ready to go home a mere two days after his surgery. A miracle to be sure, but Sakura was used to those where Kakashi was concerned. 

She'd tried to force crutches on him, to rest his leg, but the look he'd given her made her mutter under her breath as she put them away. "Fine," she said, glaring at him, "but when you can't walk because you haven't properly rested it don't come crying to me." 

"Oh ye of little faith." Kakashi said, and Sakura rolled her eyes in response as she began to examine him for his discharge.

"You fixed me, Sakura." He said quietly, as Sakura, stethoscope in her ears, listened to his lungs. She looked up at him, his eyes boring into hers. Though it was always intense to find the Sharingan looking you over, there was something different about the way he was looking at her now- almost as if, _as if_ \- Kakashi reached up and pulled the earpiece away from her face, his fingers at the side of her neck. She felt her mouth go dry at the contact. 

"Thank you." He was so different, so unlike the vapid, breezy demeanor he usually carried. She could smell him, a burst of pine, just covering a hint of hospital antiseptic...it was only the two of them, right now, the rest of the world was quiet, forgotten. It was just them and Kakashi's scent, the warmth of him so close to her, and it would be so easy to pull his mask down, to kiss him- her hands were moving before her brain caught up to them, and he made no move to stop her. 

He was handsome enough that she could spend hours staring at him, drinking him in, memorizing exactly where his upper lip met his bottom lip, but as the soft blue material pooled around his chin, as his arms went around her, holding her, her eyes fluttered shut. She felt stubble against her cheek, his breath hot on her. Sakura licked her lips in anticipation, forgetting that she was supposed to be adamantly against this, forgetting that she swore she'd kill him if he ever dared to kiss her again...

"Sakura!" Ino screeched, slamming her hand down on the kitchen table. Sakura gave a massive jolt, blinking around wildly. 

Oh _hell._ Now she was _day dreaming_ about Kakashi? She was losing it. How low she'd sunk! Hadn't she decided it was all a mind game, a power move or something? And here she was, playing right into the palm of his hand.

Kakashi had indeed been discharged, and he had indeed thanked her in that quiet, intense way- but then Hami had wrapped on the door about the next appointment and Kakashi had given her a small hug, one that didn't last nearly long enough (though she'd never tell him that), and then with a jaunty wave he was off. That had been hours ago, and Sakura still hadn't been able to get him out of her head. 

"The purple or the black?" Ino held up two sweaters, pressing them against her ample chest. She'd been excited at the idea of the Boardwalk- Kankuro was in town, and he owed her a fun night out. Not exactly a couple, Kankuro and Ino had been an ongoing “thing” for the past six months. Sakura knew it was more than just sex for both of them, but long-distance relationships were complicated and until one of them decided to make it more permanent, they would stay in a comfortable, sort-of-committed limbo. Not that either of them seemed to mind it very much. Temari said that Kankuro had no time for other girls, and though Ino went out on dates once in a while, she never brought any of them home. 

"The purple obviously." Sakura said, stifling a yawn. "And the brown boots, before you ask." 

Ino disappeared down the hallway, into her bedroom- Ino's apartment was the epitome of feminine; animal print throw pillows, gleaming appliances, shag rugs, more candles than she could count. Sakura's apartment left much to be desired, but still, it was home, and it was comfortable. Besides, Ino's dad still gave her a monthly allowance, whereas Sakura was all on her own. Ino worked occasionally at the hospital, but had mostly taken over her family business- a much more profitable path than Sakura's, who though she put in overtime every week, wasn't exactly rolling in it. Hospital employees were definitely not the best paid in Konoha, and rents and groceries were ever increasing. 

"And you, you're wearing that?" Ino came back into the kitchen. 

Sakura looked down at her outfit- the nights were getting colder now and she'd thrown on jeans tucked into black leather boots, a white long-sleeved thermal shirt, and a red fleece jacket. Her hair may not have been elaborately styled like Ino's, but she'd taken it out of her usual headband for once. She wanted to look nice, but not like she was trying too hard- she didn't want Kiba to get the wrong idea. 

Ino had chosen the form-fitting purple sweater that hung down to her mid-thigh, black leggings, and brown ankle boots with a heel that Sakura would've broken her neck on.  


"Yes," Sakura said sourly, "and shut up about it." 

"At least wear some more makeup," Ino whined. Sakura's minimum of eyeliner and clear lip gloss was something that always annoyed her. 

"Bugger off, Ino!" Sakura said, pushing herself back from the table. 

"Manners, Forehead. Honestly, if I'd known you'd be this irritated I'd have told Kakashi to ask you out instead of Inuzuka." 

Sakura whipped her head around to look at her best friend. "Are you saying you _told_ Kiba to hit on me?" How desperate did Ino think she was?! 

Ino shook her head. "He was going to anyway. Just asked me if it'd be a waste. I should've told him to forget it. I didn't know you were this gaga for your sensei." 

" _Former_ sensei," Sakura said through clenched teeth, "and what would you know about it? Kakashi is just a....a friend." 

Ino snorted. "Yeah, okay, just like Kankuro is my friend, right?" 

"Oh please! I'm not sleeping with Kakashi, nor have we ever been out on a date-" 

"You're as blind as you are fashion deficient." Ino said, checking her high ponytail in the mirror that hung behind the sink. 

Sakura raised a questioning eyebrow. 

"C'mon Sakura, you guys are practically married!" Ino uncapped a tube of lipstick. "He's always over at your place, or you guys are out together, or you're saving his life _again_. He goes on a mission without you and you're unbearable until he gets back. You go to Suna to inspect their hospital, he walks around like a damn lost puppy for two weeks." 

"None of that is true!" Sakura hissed.

Alright, so Kakashi did come over to her apartment, one of the few people who did. And yeah, once or twice a week they went out- but not _out_ out, just to eat or to pick up a few groceries, sometimes with Naruto or Sai in tow as well. And okay, she always worried about him when he left the village, and she always wished there were more competent medical personnel around to cover for her so she didn't have to send him off without her. Kakashi always did seem rather happy when she returned from her own duties that took her away...but that didn't mean she was gaga for him, and he certainly wasn't for her! 

"You want to change your middle name to Denial, hey, you're a big girl." Ino tucked the lipstick into her bag and turned to answer Kankuro's knock at the door. 

And Sakura knew, then, that if Ino had seen it, there was no hiding it from anybody. Kakashi had indeed gotten under her skin.

**oooo**

Kiba had, at least, showered, which put him ahead of most of the guys she knew. Akamaru was trailing behind them, as Kiba talked about the new animal rescue his family was setting up. Kankuro and Ino were ahead, holding hands, Ino stopping at nearly every vendor cart, waiting for Kankuro to buy her something. He seemed only too happy to oblige, and every time he passed the blonde a teddy bear, or a bag of roasted nuts, she kissed him deeply.

Sakura suppressed a sigh- she wondered what it'd be like to have that. To stroll down the street on a lovely Autumn evening with a man who adored her, who would get her stupid little knick knacks and sweets if it meant she'd kiss him. She definitely couldn't see Kakashi doing something like that...and speaking of Kakashi! 

She caught an unmistakable flash of silver as they passed the arcade, pausing for a moment. Kiba stopped, then nodded at the arcade sign above them, calling after Kankuro. "I'll grab us some seats," he said, indicating the pool tables in the center of the room.

Sakura nodded vaguely, "I'll get drinks." Without waiting for an answer she left Kiba behind her, weaving her way through game cabinets and claw machines. 

"Evening, Sakura-chan." Kakashi said as she approached him. He was playing Street Fighter 2, and his eyes never left the screen. 

"What are you doing here?" She asked, puzzled. This was the last place she expected to find him. 

"Enjoying the atmosphere, of course. This place will close soon, you know." 

"Yeah, I just didn't....anyway. How are you holding up?" 

Kakashi shrugged. "You can stay and find out." He indicated the player two controls on the console. 

"I can't." Sakura said shortly, chancing a look over her shoulder. Ino, Kankuro, and Kiba were already involved in a game of pool and were taking no notice of her for the time being. 

"Why?" Kakashi asked, and Sakura looked back up at him, startled that he'd moved closer to her, his game paused.

She swallowed a lump in her throat. "What do you mean, why?" Sakura snapped, taking a step back to put some distance between them. Kakashi had never really been a bubble kind of guy, not caring enough to pay attention to social cues or personal boundaries. Him being so close to her had, lately, started to feel...intoxicating. Which was _definitely_ a bad thing. Or, at least, something she should avoid examining too closely. 

Kakashi nodded, and she could practically feel his smirk. "W-h-y. Why?" "It...I can't...you!" Sakura spluttered, her hands on her hips. 

"Why? Screw you, that's why!" She shoved against his shoulder. 

Kakashi laughed, glancing over her head. "Careful, they'll think we're flirting." 

Sakura's stomach dropped, because yep, that's _exactly_ what they were doing. Kami, she'd really let this go on too far. Still, there was something she couldn't quite turn away from, something about Kakashi that drew her in like a moth to a burning flame. Self-preservation told her that with the light always came the dark, and Kakashi was mysterious and dangerous in ways she probably didn't want to know about. But her inner self, her impulsive, rash, emotional self, wanted to cling onto him and never let go. To get lost in his casual touches, to feel his lips smile on top of her own...

"I have to get back." Sakura muttered, shaking her head to try and clear the images there. Really, she was pathetic! Daydreaming again, right in front of him! So much for self-control!

"Sure." Kakashi said easily, moving back to the machine, pounding the buttons again. "If you change your mind, you know where to find me." 

"Right." Sakura replied vaguely, slowly turning away from him, her resolve still not solid. The idea of going back to Kiba's side after being offered Kakashi's was less than appealing. 

"And Sakura..." Kakashi murmured from behind her, and she whirled around at the sound of his voice, jolting when he was, again, right in front of her. He reached out, his gloved thumb brushing softly against her jaw. "You look really nice." 

Sakura could feel her cheeks burning, each nerve in her upper body on fire. "Thanks." She whispered, and grudgingly found her way back to where Kiba now stood, waiting for her. 

**oooo**

"I know," Ino said with a giggle as she finished her second beer, "let's go bowling!" 

"Hey man, yeah!" Kankuro said, giving Ino's hip a squeeze. "You in?" He shot at Kiba, who was signaling the waitress for more nachos. 

"Hell yes! I saw Hinata and Naruto earlier by the ferris wheel, I bet they'd wanna play too. Lemme give 'em a buzz." Kiba pulled out his cell phone and left the table to get better reception. 

"Sakura?" Ino asked, but Sakura barely heard her. Kakashi was still playing his game, she could see his broad shoulders through a space in the aisle. She wondered if he planned on playing all night, and why she never knew that this would be something he'd enjoy doing, and if he meant what he said- that she could join him, if she wanted. 

"I'm....tired. Go, have fun. I'll call you tomorrow." Sakura said. "I know it's lame, but...." Sakura gestured to Kiba, who was shouting Hinata's name into his phone as he walked outside the arcade to hear better.

Ino grinned, following Sakura's gaze to Kakashi's back. "I'll tell him you got called away. Just put us all out of our misery and shag, okay?" 

Sakura rolled her eyes. Typical Ino. Just have sex, and all your problems will go away. Well, it'd worked for her best friend, but Kankuro and Kakashi were two very different people. And besides, even if she would enjoy having sex with Kakashi- she'd seen what lay under his clothes enough times to picture what it could be like- she didn't _just_ want sex. Sex was the easy part. 

Ino and Kankuro stood, waving Sakura off, and they left to get Kiba. Sakura watched them go, then took a steadying breath as she started for Kakashi. 

**oooo**

"You...you uh want to make it interesting?" Kakashi asked, startling her. She'd been standing behind him, silently, watching him expertly play the game- all on his original quarter, probably. 

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him. "Interesting?"

"Yeah, you know...friendly." Kakashi delivered a knockout blow to the enemy, then turned to face her.

"And what do you mean by that?" She lifted her chin defiantly. 

"I win, you spend the night. At my place." Blunt, no point in beating around the bush. Sakura should've been shocked, but she knew him too well. 

"So very friendly, then."

"Well, look at this way, if you lose, we both still win." His smirk was evident even beneath the mask. 

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Sounds pretty one-sided to me." 

"Okay," Kakashi conceded, "what do you get if you win?" 

"You come to my place...and spend the night on your hands and knees..."

Kakashi raised a silver brow. "I like the sound of that." 

"...scrubbing my bathroom." Sakura smirked. 

Kakashi blinked. "Well...whatever it takes to get you in the mood, Sakura-chan." 

God, couldn't he already tell she was? Since that stupid kiss she'd been desperate for him. He had to have known; this was probably some elaborate seduction, but whether to simply see if he could or because he actually wanted to, she wasn't sure. And that was her whole problem, wasn't it, because she never wanted to be involved in something one-sided again. It had been too painful, with Sasuke, and she didn't want history to repeat itself, not when she'd fought so hard to become who she was today. 

"Only if you want to." Kakashi held her gaze for a long moment, his voice low, challenging. He put a quarter in the slot.

Sakura licked her lips, and hit the player two start button. 

**oooo**

"Wow," Kakashi said, sounding genuinely surprised.

She'd been terrible! But she was mightily distracted by the man beside her, with his stupid little chuckles, his commentary of the battles, his _smell_. It was his fault! It was rigged from the beginning. 

"Shut up!" She said, knocking his shoulder with hers. "I can't believe this. I was awful." 

"Best to not dwell on failures, Sakura-chan." 

"Easy for you to say, you're not the one losing here."

Kakashi cocked his head to the side, his lone eye searching her face. "Would it really be so bad? Spending the night with me?" 

Sakura's jaw tightened for a moment, but then her face cleared. He already knew the truth- had known it since before that stupid kiss, before the last few days. Had probably known it for years. What was the point in denying it? "Actually...it would be incredible."

Kakashi grinned, his eye bright. Damn. She was a goner, wasn't she? "Yeah...yeah, it would be incredible."

"Well then..." Sakura thrust out her hand for him to take.

Kakashi considered her for a moment. "Mah, Sakura-chan. Not tonight." He shoved his hands into his pockets. 

"What?!" 

Kakashi shrugged. "Not tonight, and not on a bet. I want you to be with me because you want to, not because I won some stupid bet."

"Stupid?! I worked my ass off!" Sakura's hands were on her hips, an incredulous look on her face. He had dangled a carrot in front of her, and now was ripping it away. 

Kakashi chuckled. "And you still lost. Might want to invest your efforts elsewhere." He picked up the quarters he'd had on top of the machine, then gave her a pleasant salute. "Well, best be off. Have a leg to rest, you know. Medical orders." He turned without another word, leaving her staring after him, her mouth hanging open. 

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura called, her legs moving before she'd even fully decided to follow him.

"Yes, Sakura?" He said, pausing by a bench beneath a massive tree. Its leaves were falling, golden and red, the wind picking them up, swirling them around their ankles. It could've been magical, romantic, perfect, if not for the fact that Kakashi was playing her like a damn marionette doll and leaving, just when she was ready to give in. 

"You....what you said, that day....why did you say it?" 

Kakashi shrugged, pulling off his jacket and wrapping it around Sakura's shoulders as the gust blew harder. "Isn't it true?" 

"You already know the answer to that." She said impatiently, pulling the jacket tight. "But you said...things could get interesting." 

"Aren't they?" 

Well, okay, he had wanted to make their stupid bet “interesting”, but here they were, out in the cold, the sun setting, going their separate ways. That wasn't exactly what she'd had in mind. 

"But- " Suddenly a blurring sound from the pocket of her jacket startled her. She pulled out her hospital pager, a 911 from Shizune causing her to toss the damn thing at the ground. 

"Duty calls." Kakashi reached out to catch the pager before it hit the ground and shattered into a thousand pieces. He tucked the pager into the front pocket of her jeans, his palm lingering for a brief second on her waist. 

"I'm sorry, sensei..." She genuinely was, but she couldn't ignore a 911, and they both knew it. 

"I know." Kakashi said. "Lives to save and all." But he didn't sound annoyed. If anything, he sounded proud. "Goodbye, Sakura. I'll see you later." There was a connotation in his words, a surety perhaps, or at least Sakura hoped there was. 

And then he was gone, and though she didn't want to think about it, she couldn't deny that whiling away the late afternoon playing a video game with Kakashi at her side had been the best time she'd had in weeks. 

**oooo**

The night wore on, being elbow-deep in various body cavities doing a fair job of distracting Sakura, of forcing her to focus on something other than the absence of Kakashi. She felt it more keenly, now, than she ever had, even if (as Ino had said) everybody else noticed a difference in her behavior when they were apart.

“How was your date with Inuzuka?” The last of the shinobi had been treated, neatly bandaged and sedated, either sent home or resting comfortably for the time being. Shizune and Sakura had stayed long after the rest of the staff, filling out paperwork.

Sakura shrugged. “Okay. I mean, it wasn't a date, exactly...”

Shizune gave a small smirk. “You mean it wasn't a date with _Kiba_. Kakashi, on the other hand...” She trailed off, her smirk deepening.

Sakura cleared her throat, her signature shaky on the document she was completing. “I don't- ”

“Oh, hush. Don't try to deny it. We've all seen the way you look at him. Hami said you almost had a stroke at how hurt he was the other day.”

Sakura sighed. “How was it so obvious to everybody else? I had no idea myself!” She clenched the pen in her hand tight, ink blotting all over the form.

Shizune added another file to the neat stack next to her. “Considering how long it took Kakashi to realize he was in love with you, I'm not surprised you're the last to know about your own feelings. You're both pretty blockheaded, if you want my professional opinion.”

Sakura blinked. She knew, of course, that Kakashi felt _something_ towards her. He wasn't the type, she now realized, to mess around with this kind of thing. It could've been a game, but she knew him better than that. While he was obviously getting some amusement out of her reactions, he was also genuine. Surely he was interested in her in some capacity. But love? She wasn't sure Kakashi was capable of a romantic, intimate love. Were any of them, really? Shinobi weren't exactly experts when it came to stable love lives.

“And I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I'd say I'm pretty proficient at this whole practicing medicine thing. Been doing it for a while now, you know. So to be shot down because I wasn't his precious _Sakura-chan_ says a lot.”

Sakura didn't reply, and Shizune made no further comments while they plowed their way through the rest of the paperwork. Sakura put the files on Shizune's desk- Hami would put them away in the morning- and went to her locker to retrieve her clothes. It'd been a long week, and she hoped she could have a day or two off, to sort through everything.  
Or, at the very least, to sleep in and enjoy some delivery pizza.

It struck her that, she was pretty sure, it would be Kakashi's ideal weekend as well.

**oooo**

Sakura liked walking home late in the evening. The streets were deserted, drenched in dim lamplight, the air crisp and exhilarating, especially lately, with Fall descending on Konoha. It was really her favorite time of year, a season that passed all too quickly in the land of Fire. Winter wasn't far behind, which was an adventure in itself, at least from her medical stand-point. Civilian and shinobi injuries alike seemed to triple with snow on the ground.

Sakura held Kakashi's jacket in her arms, and once or twice she'd lifted it to her nose, inhaling his scent. Since she'd been a kid and he her sensei, her team leader, his scent had always been soothing to her. She knew he'd save her, save them all, when shit hit the fan. Kakashi had always equated that- safety and security. Even at such a young age she'd sensed that about him. They were traits that you didn't really appreciate until you'd been through hell, been through war. She'd lost so many people, people she'd tried to save, people she would've gladly traded spots with. Her failings, in the grand scheme of things, added up to so much...

With a jolt, she realized this was how Kakashi must've felt about his own past. It wasn't as if their stories were unique. Every ninja had a tragic backstory, had their hands stained with innocent blood. It wasn't about their experiences, though, it was about what those experiences had put them through, had _brought_ them to. Her path and Kakashi's path had, at long last, finally merged. She could see him for everything he was- all of his faults, all of his oddities, all of his loss- and they only made him more desirable to her. Kakashi was lazy and too damn smart for his own good, sure, but he was also funny, and charming when he wanted to be, and he lived for his village. You couldn't find somebody stronger or more dedicated in the entire world, she was sure.

Kami, she was pathetic. What, so she saw him as some sort of hero now?! But if she were being honest with herself, she always had. That certainly wasn't anything new. She'd heard stories about him her entire life, and when she had gotten him as her teacher, she had been so excited! She just knew that the infamous Copy Ninja would pass on his secrets, his wisdom, to her. Oh how mistaken she'd been! God, she'd been so _annoying_. As if there could be any secrets or shortcuts to learning jutsu, as if Kakashi, the recluse, the jaded hermit, had any wisdom worth passing on and more so that he'd ever want to!

Sakura continued on, Kakashi's scent wrapped around her, his jacket a thick comfort, a shred of him that was tangible. She should return it, should have actually probably refused it- but at the time, him sliding it off his shoulders and wrapping it around her own had seemed so second-nature that she hadn't really thought about it. Her entire life where Kakashi was concerned had happened that way recently. Of course she cared about him. Of course she was taken with him. She may have buried those feelings for years, but here they were, now so normal that she could quite honestly say yes, he was right, yes. She loved him. That fact was as natural as the warmth she now gripped to her body.

**oooo**

The next time she saw Kakashi- for it was some days later- she couldn't help the flush of her cheeks, the torrent of butterflies bursting from every seam of her stomach. He had been dispatched on a mission the night she'd been called into the clinic, the only goodbye he'd left had been a note taped to her apartment door. It was quick and to the point, stating he'd be out of the village for three days at least, but at the end, she sensed something else, something _more_. Though it had only been signed as _always, -K_ , where the rest of his note was jotted in a hurried hand, that closing word was written neatly, carefully, deliberately. And sure, he'd left her notes before, especially if she'd been in the middle of treating him for some horrid injury, but this time it was different.

“You're back,” Sakura said, a little breathlessly, when he came up to her, his grey eye roving over her face like he hadn't seen her in years.

“Told you. Always.” He said, and Sakura wondered if the hunger she felt was only coming from her.

“I was thinking,” she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, licking her lips, “we should...ah...get together. I mean, if you want to, of course.”

Kakashi's eyebrow was raised in surprise. “Are you asking me out?” And she just knew it, underneath that stupid mask was that smirk she _hated_ , oh she'd smack it right off of him if he didn't-

And then he leaned down and kissed her- right there, in the middle of the market square, with civilians pouring around them. He'd pulled his mask down to do it- that alone made her weak at the knees- and it was even better than their first kiss, full of fire, full of push and pull and she never wanted it to end. She gripped his shirt in her fists, lost in him, in the fierce rush of his mouth, and Kami help her, it'd never been like this before, not with anybody.

Kakashi broke their kiss, taking a deep breath and pulling his mask up in one swift motion. “Well, good seeing you, Sakura-chan. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a mission report to make.”

Her jaw dropped open, fury replacing arousal as he gave her a two fingered salute and started to walk off. He was _leaving_ her after that!? He could've had her right there, up against the nearest hot dog cart, and he was just walking away? The ass!

“Oh,” He turned back toward her, his mask now perfectly in place, his eye a happy crescent, acting as though no, he hadn't just nearly unhinged her, “I think _getting together_ sounds just ah, right. Tomorrow night, eight, my place. Ciao, now.” And he took a step into the crowd, his silver spikes getting farther away from her every second.

**oooo**

Oh, Kakashi was _pissed_. Not only had Tsunade sent him on a stupid, dead-end mission, but as he hit the front gate, he was informed by Kotetsu and Izumo that there was a matter the Hokage needed to urgently discuss with him, and it centered, somehow, around Sakura. He'd panicked, of course, cursing himself for leaving her side, for not being there to always protect her, as he'd liked to have done. His mind had raced, filled with the horrors that must've befallen Sakura for Tsunade to officially involve him.  
Kakashi hurried from the gates, lunging for the nearest rooftop, when he happily spotted Sakura, below in the market. She loved going for morning walks, though it was a habit he'd never understood. He was a late-riser, but he felt he'd earned that. Sakura was young and ambitious, and he the opposite. Still, it was something about her he was very fond of. Not that those were in short supply.

It had happened slowly, but Kakashi found himself thinking more and more about Sakura, wanting to be around her, feeling a tension leave his shoulders when she was with him. He laughed more, relaxed more, and, when it came down to it, he _wanted_ more. He'd watched her grow all these years, pushing herself to become stronger, to learn and to thrive. He admired her, more than any other ninja he knew; she had taken herself from a simpering, annoying know-it-all who needed her team to save her, to the one doing all the saving. Sakura rivaled Tsunade in her healing abilities, and would, he was sure, surpass her any day now. Sakura's chakra control was unheard of in any of her generation- or his. She'd always been intelligent, and when she had learned how to direct that, to focus it, she'd become the prize pupil Tsunade always wanted.

Ever so gradually, Kakashi had grown attached to her. He hadn't done it out of guilt, as he was sure some would believe. Sure, he hadn't given Sakura all the attention he probably should have when she was teamed up with Naruto and Sasuke, but he could hardly be blamed for that. Sakura had slunk into the shadows, only stepping up and utilizing her training when she'd decided for herself that she wanted to truly be a strong fighter. She was stubborn like that, but it was a trait he'd gotten used to, even fond of, over the course of their friendship. You could tell Sakura something, show it to her all you wanted, but until she came to the conclusion herself, it was useless to try to sway her.  
Kakashi grew tired, however, of waiting for her to see him in the same light he'd grown to view her in. So, he'd kissed her. It was something he had fantasized about for months- just growing a pair and grabbing her, making her feel his passion. And, hopefully, it'd be enough to push her in the direction he knew she was heading towards. He may have been a social hermit, but he still knew the subtle signs that a woman was interested in him. Leaning in during conversations, lingering touches and hugs, invitations to spend time together. Kakashi figured hell, if she didn't like the kiss, at least he would know, at least he would've tried, and he would deal with his obsession in some other, healthier way.  
But Kakashi had seen it, when their kiss had ended. Sakura was as affected by him as he was by her. She may not want to admit it- she never wanted to admit anything right away- but she was shaken by the kiss in what he hoped were all the right ways.

And merely a few hours later he'd heard Inuzuka ask her out. It was irritating that somebody like him, like the _dog_ , would think themselves worthy of any bit of Sakura's time and affection. Obviously he couldn't blame Kiba for wanting to go out with Sakura since he himself had thought of little else for at least a year, but it didn't exactly sit well with him. So he'd gone to the Boardwalk too, not expecting her to take any notice of him, but wanting to witness their “date” for himself, to see if he was truly stacked up against any competition. A bit juvenile, yeah, but he'd stopped feeling shame so many years ago...

The night had ended nearly perfectly. He wouldn't push himself on her anymore, he'd decided. Sakura had to come to him. It wasn't that he was unwilling to wait, or put in the effort, just that he didn't want to influence her any more than he may already have. Kakashi wanted Sakura's feelings for him to be genuine, and besides, the way she had been looking at him when they parted, Kakashi could tell he wouldn't have to wait long.

He thought Sakura might show up that very night, though it may have been wishful thinking. But then Genma had come by with a mission assignment, nothing too extreme, not for a shinobi who had just been injured. His village had called, and he'd answered, as Sakura had done when her pager had gone off. Kakashi knew she deplored the idea of going to the clinic over being with him- in and of itself a gesture he never dared to hope for- but they were, at their core, dedicated to their work and so, they went. Like good little soldiers. He may have been slightly bitter about it, but he'd chosen this life and he knew that even if he'd had a chance to change it, he wouldn't.

Kakashi couldn't stop himself from kissing Sakura when he'd seen her. He had exercised severe self-control where she was concerned up until that point, but it had gotten out of his grasp and as he held her, as she grabbed at him and kissed him back just as strongly, he worried he'd never be able to let her go. Who in their right mind would want to?  
It was a blur how he had gotten to Tsunade's office. His mind was definitely back with Sakura, ruefully wishing for an empty market square. Taking her up against one of the vendor carts, well, that would be a much better investment of his time than putting up with whatever bullshit Tsunade wanted to sling at him.

Come to think of it, Tsunade had looked far too amused when he'd finally shown up, as though she'd known exactly where he'd been and what he'd been doing, and that her office was the last, the very last, place he wanted to be right then. She hardly paid attention to his report, and insisted he fill out all his official paperwork right then and there. She was irritating him further by the second, and she was enjoying the hell out of it.

Finally, after grilling him on his penmanship and his plentiful use of contractions, she dismissed him.

“Oh and Hatake,” she called to his retreating back. He flinched, then turned slowly back around to face her. “Do pass along the message to Sakura, if you happen to see her, that how, when, and where, I send my shinobi is _my_ business and my business only. Once discharged from the hospital, I view them all as fit for duty. Remind her, if you would be so kind, that you are a big boy and can handle a bit of work now and then.”

Kakashi nodded and all but fled from her office before she had a chance to call him back again. So...Sakura had been worried about him, eh? Of course he'd figured she'd be thinking about him, not nearly as much as he had thought about her, sure, but he was confident he wouldn't be forgotten. But to hear that Sakura had gone straight to Tsunade, had complained about him being sent off so soon after an injury...

He hurried home, a decided spring in his step.

**oooo**

Sakura really shouldn't have been nervous. She had been over to Kakashi's place so many times, why should this one be any different? She looked down at herself- well, she'd never really worn something like _this_ for him before. Ino had insisted, and Sakura hadn't really been in the mood to fight her. Besides, her friend had made some valid points in favor of this particular black dress- a single zipper up the back for easy removal being the main one- and Sakura had wanted to push Kakashi's buttons a little.  
She knew she was attractive, or at least that Kakashi found her so. He didn't just go around randomly making out with anybody in the marketplace, after all. So why not? Ino had suggested hair up, and Sakura had remembered all too clearly the feel of Kakashi's breath against her neck. She shivered at the idea of his lips being pressed against there. So yes, hair up. Ino had tried to force heels on her, but Sakura had never liked them much. Sure, Ino had some gorgeous shoes, but in the end she decided on her own pair of black flats, and a denim jacket so she didn't come off _too_ desperate, though she figured that didn't matter much anymore. Kakashi no doubt had heard her heart hammering in her chest during their kiss, and even if he hadn't, her eagerness in deepening it gave plenty away.

Sakura took a steadying breath on the landing outside his apartment, after sending the elevator back down to the lobby. The high profile jounin and top ranking village officials had the best properties, and Kakashi was no exception. He had the whole top floor to himself, and the landing was all marble, the walls papered in the finest of quality and designs. Art hung in mahogany frames in symmetrical intervals on the walls, and beside the elevator was a bench upholstered in deep velvet.

Sakura raised her hand to knock on the rich oak door, but it swung open, and Kakashi stood there, his usual smile on his not-so-usual maskless face. She noted immediately that he had dressed up for the occasion as well, even if he'd only switched out his usual navy pants and vest for dark jeans and a black thermal shirt. He was always handsome, but now, with the shirt clinging to every muscle in his upper body, he was mouth-watering.

“You look...” Kakashi trailed off, as his Sharingan gave Sakura a long once-over, his gaze so intense that Sakura could almost feel it burning her.

“Right back atcha.” Sakura countered, trying to keep her eyes on his face. If nothing else so far had convinced her that she and Kakashi had moved to a place beyond friends, this would. In all her memory she couldn't remember Kakashi dressing up for anything, let alone just them spending time together. And sure, she'd seen him without the mask, probably more than most had, but it was still pretty rare that he took it off, even if she was the only one around.

“Ah well, come in. Pakkun, off the couch.” The pug grumbled, but hopped down off the leather sofa and disappeared down the hall.

As always, Sakura drank in the luxury of Kakashi's apartment- the hardwood floors and plush area rugs, the marble counter tops and top of the line appliances. Kakashi had a house keeper in twice a week, so his home was typically immaculate. Sakura much preferred coming to his place then hanging out at hers.

There was music playing, instrumental jazz, the surround sound Kakashi had installed the best on the market, the tones and bass deep and clear. Sakura sank into the sofa, and because of the open kitchen, she could still see and talk with Kakashi, who was now at the stove, tossing ingredients in a sauté pan. The travertine fireplace had been lit, flames crackling merrily in the grate, creating a warm, pleasant glow throughout the whole room.

On the coffee table on a coaster was a glass of chardonnay, her preferred drink. Now that she thought about it, Kakashi always had something like this ready for her. A bowl of her favorite cashews out, or the giant flat screen TV set to her favorite sitcom, leaving her notes to let her know when he'd be away so she wouldn't worry. Kakashi had been under her radar this whole time, but now she was able to see these little things, these details. He certainly wasn't this considerate of anybody else.

“Our esteemed Hokage sends her regards, and she says she's terribly sorry for upsetting you for sending an injured shinobi off to danger so soon, but said shinobi is a big boy and can handle it.” Kakashi put a lid on the pan, fiddled with something in the oven, and then wiped his hands on a dish towel and came into the living room.

Sakura narrowed her eyes. “Yes, well, I didn't think it was...prudent of her to send you off so soon after a massive injury.”

“You were worried about me.” It wasn't a question. He had to know, now, that she always worried for him. If Hami of all people had seen it...

Kakashi sat beside her on the couch, close but not smothering, though Sakura certainly wouldn't have minded if he'd pushed right against her. In fact, she'd been hoping for nothing less.

“Yes.” She took a deep sip of the wine.

Kakashi drank her in for a moment. She was so lovely, with or without the sexy dress and makeup. She'd been enchanting him for months, years, and though he told himself it was best to be patient, to take his time and see if she'd ever catch up to his feelings, he'd wanted _so_ many times to jump the gun.

Sakura slipped her jacket off, revealing the dress to be sleeveless, low-cut. Her pale skin was so close, he could just imagine how warm it would be under his finger tips. Really, could he be blamed for desiring her? But there were things he needed to say before he indulged in any intimate luxuries, things Sakura deserved to hear and things he should get off his chest.

“Years ago, there was a girl. She was strong, and smart, and so desperate for my approval. And then, she was gone.”

Sakura was stunned, but she remained silent. Kakashi rarely opened up about his past, but on the few occasions when he had, she'd absorbed every word, desperate to know more about him, to crack the shell of her former sensei. She should've realized then just how deep her feelings for Kakashi were- certainly she never took that much of an interest in any other of her superiors.

“After that...I felt like I had an obligation to never let history repeat itself. I couldn't let anybody affect me the way Rin had. So I kept my distance from people. It got easier, as time went on. My dad died. I joined ANBU. Things fell into place. I grew comfortable in my isolation, working all the time. Then, the Third made me a sensei. I hated the idea. I didn't care much for kids, and I'd long since passed the time in my life where I wanted to mold anybody in my own shape.”

Sakura knew as much. There were those like Iruka and Gai, who were born to teach, who loved children and thrived in leading them. Then there were those like Kakashi and Shikamaru, who were there because it was their assignment, and they, as top jounin, would see it through, but it was just that; an obligation, not a passion.

“And then....then you three screwballs came along. Forced into my lap, really.” Kakashi let out a low chuckle and Sakura couldn't help but grin as well. She smiled for the old days, before Sasuke had checked out of reality, before Naruto was strong enough to make good on his promises of becoming Hokage. Before she'd turned her life around and fallen in love with the same man who seemed at that time only to ignore her.

“You were so much like us. All of you, it was like looking in a mirror. I kept the team pictures side by side for so long...and when I'd think of Rin, I'd see you. You would've adored her. Everyone did.” Kakashi paused and took a long drink from his glass. Whiskey sour, the usual.

“How...how did she die?” Sakura had to know.

Kakashi shook his head slowly. “It's not important. She wouldn't think it is, anyway. She'd tell me to stop being stupid and move on with my life. I could never love Rin the way she wanted me to, but I _did_ love her. It's important that you know that.”

Sakura nodded quickly. If Kakashi was anything, he was honest. Sure that honesty may be buried under chronic indifference and occasional laziness, but it was there nonetheless. He had a big heart, even if he hated to show it.

They were silent for a moment, and Kakashi suddenly drained his drink. “What I said that day, I meant. I know you didn't want to accept it, that I'm the last thing you need. But I want you to know, it was implied that the feelings were mutual.”

Sakura gulped chardonnay and tried to breathe.

“It...took me a long time to realize it. But I refuse to lose it. See, Sakura, I _can_ love you the way you want. I do and I will and I'll be damned if I let your stubbornness get in the way of it.”

Sakura glowered at him, setting her glass on the table with more force than was necessary. How could he be so romantic and so rude at the same time?! “Get in the way of what, exactly?”

“Of us. Of _this_.” His arm was under her before she knew it, the lights seeming to dim around them on their own. She lay beneath him, and then she was kissing him like she'd wanted to keep doing in the marketplace, with recklessness, with unconcealed need. Sakura felt his hand at her back, pulling the zipper down. She was only too happy to comply, and shimmied out of the dress, kicking off her flats and reaching for the bottom of Kakashi's shirt, when the oven beeped.

Kakashi's head dropped and Sakura swore aloud. “I don't care if it's burnt,” she said, pressing her lips to his neck.

“It's just the minute warning.” Kakashi said, and he lifted her in his arms, carrying her to the kitchen.

Sakura would've laughed at the situation, had she not been so desperate for this, had she not been longing for Kakashi in ways that were making her ache and throb. She was in nothing but her underwear, being whisked around the kitchen by her old teacher- she tried push herself from his grasp but he held tighter onto her, as if he couldn't stand to let her out of his arms.

“I'd hoped we could've at least eaten before you jumped the gun and stole her innocence,” Pakkun said from the living room, eyeing the two in front of him in a very disapproving way.

“Who asked you,” Kakashi said without looking at him, supporting Sakura with one arm while he opened the oven quickly to check on their dinner. He added a few more minutes to the timer, then sat her gently on the island, pressing his lips to hers. He kissed her slowly- painfully slowly- and Sakura could feel heat pooling in her abdomen, snaking throughout her entire body. The countertop was cold against her bare legs, but she didn't care, didn't really seem to notice it through the haze Kakashi had her in.  


She could sit there forever, being kissed like this by him, but she _needed_ more, needed him to match her longing, her lust. Her core ached with emptiness, and she was desperate for him to fill it.

“Not so fast,” Kakashi pulled away and murmured into her ear, causing a tingle to run up her spine, “We have all night. I promise.”

Sakura tilted her head at him. “I'm holding you to that.”

He chuckled and lifted her again into his arms. He dipped his head down to kiss her, her hands wrapped eagerly around his neck, when there was a loud, rapt knock on the door.

“ _Oh my fucking god_.” Sakura seethed, ready to fully and completely murder whoever was on the other side of the door. Kakashi set her gently on the ground and tore his shirt off, handing it to her, gesturing for her to put it on. There was another loud knock, this time longer and more urgent.

Sakura pulled Kakashi's shirt over her head, hastily smoothing down her hair as Kakashi quick as a flash reached into a drawer, pulled aspare mask over his face, and made his way to the door.

“Finally Kakashi-sensei what took you so-” Naruto's (for of course it was Naruto, who else could be so goddamn instrusive?) eyes landed on Sakura, barefoot and wearing only Kakashi's shirt which fell to her mid-thigh. “Whoa what the heck are you doing here Sakura?” His gaze shifted back to Kakashi, noticing that he was shirtless.

Sakura could almost feel the steam coming from her ears, and she blindly reached behind her for the knife block, grasping the handle of what she hoped was the largest butcher knife. She turned to advance on Naruto, who was slowly backing away, when Kakashi loudly cleared his throat.

“Any reason you're here, Naruto? I'd hate for your death to be meaningless.”

Naruto nodded vigorously, brandishing a large envelope that held the Hokage's official seal.

Sakura stopped, trained, as all ninja were, to put everything, even homicidal rage, aside when there was word from their leader.

“See, I was supposed to give this to you, I was picked specifically by Granny to do it,” Naruto babbled, eyeing the knife still firmly held in Sakura's hand.

“Forehead!” There came a yell from outside Kakashi's door, and Ino, dressed to the nines in a leather mini skirt and crop top, barged in, breathless. “I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't-” Ino's eyes widened in surprise at seeing Kakashi and Sakura's state of undress. “Damn girl, you don't waste any time!”

“What the hell is going on here?!” Sakura shrieked, yanking Ino in by the arm and slamming Kakashi's door shut before all of Konoha decided to show up and see her in her knickers.

Ino and Naruto both started talking at the same time, trying to be louder than the other, until Kakashi held up a silencing hand.

“Ino,” Sakura said, glowering at Naturo, jabbing the knife threateningly toward him, “you first.”

Ino shot Naruto a smug, self-satisfied look. “Well ding dong over here showed up at my apartment looking for you. As if I'd be with _you_ on a Saturday night!” Ino gave a slight twirl, affording the room a 360 degree look of her outfit. It left little to their imaginations just what Ino's evening plans had been. “Anyway, he said he had a summons from Tsunade for you but you weren't home.”

“And so you told him I was here?!” Sakura demanded, hands on her hips. So much for BFF discretion!

Ino scoffed. “Ugh, give me some credit will ya? He must've guessed- I did try to tell you that you guys were like, super obvious, but did you want to listen? Of course not. Well-” She moved on hastily as Sakura whipped the knife towards her instead of Naruto, “Naruto said he had to get to Kakashi's. I tried to stop him but he gave me the slip with one of his stupid clones.”

“I didn't know you'd be here, honest!” Naruto said, raising his hands in surrender, “see, I had something for Kakashi-sensei, too!” and he thrust a letter each at Sakura and Kakashi.  
Kakashi and Sakura exchanged a glance then simultaneously ripped into their envelopes, skimming them. 

“A mission?” Sakura asked, and Kakashi nodded. “Well...at least we'll be together.” Sakura shrugged, looking up at Kakashi, who, though unseen through his mask that had appeared out of almost nowhere when Ino showed up, offered her a smirk in response.

Naruto, who had been watching the two of them with ever-widening eyes, was struck at the tenderness passing between his two teammates. Whoa, when had _that_ happened?! He almost felt bad that he had to step on their moment.

“Er...it isn't...I mean, sorry, Sakura, but yours is a summon to Tsunade and Kakashi's is for a mission. He needs to report to the front gates for briefing.”

Sakura's face fell, and she dropped her eyes back to her letter, rereading the specifics of it.

“C'mon Naruto,” Ino muttered, grabbing him by the ear, “let's get out of here.” She drug him to the door, swung it open and slammed it shut behind them, drowning out Naruto's whining protests.

“Well, the good news is I don't have to be to Tsunade's office until eight tomorrow morning.”

“Good for who?” Kakashi sighed, handing her his scroll. Sakura scanned the first few lines, and saw Kakashi's report time to be nine PM, which was in...Sakura checked the microwave clock...twenty minutes.

“Fuck.”

“I was hoping.” Kakashi reached out to her, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“Why is the world conspiring against us?! This totally sucks. We should be able to have a romantic night together, I mean, I love you, and- what are you smiling at? The night- _our_ night- is ruined!”

“I wouldn't say that.” Kakashi leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.

**oooo**

“ _Lightning Country_? But, that mission could take weeks!” Sakura groaned, banging her fist against the bars of the Front Gate. She'd run home to change while Kakashi packed, and had met him at the Gate to say goodbye.

“At least.” Kakashi, who was far from happy about the situation himself, said.

“I see Tsunade's not sending you with the A squad...” Sakura commented, jerking her thumb towards where the rest of the mission party was gathering. Aside from Kakashi, there were Shikamaru, Anko, and Kankuro. Sakura had faith in Anko, at least, but Shika and Kankuro? They were mostly competent in the field but Kankruo was prone to making rash decisions and Shikamaru was so lazy, who knew how long it'd be until Sakura was able to see Kakashi again? “It could be Christmas by the time you get back!”

“Hmm,” Kakashi murmured, grasping her hip and pulling her to him, his lips in the crook of her neck, “and I already know what I want to unwrap...”

Sakura tried not to blush, but it was impossible not to let Kakashi affect her.

“Hatake,” Anko called, “we're heading out.” She waved at Sakura, then turned to head for the path out of the village.

“Ugh, just go.” Sakura prodded Kakashi halfheartedly. He didn't move, though, and instead held her closer to him.

“I'll be back before you know it.”

“I won't hold my breath.” She said lightly, trying to put on an amused face. This blew, but she didn't want to bring him down. He couldn't avoid going on this mission any more than she could avoid letting him go.

“Christmas Eve, you and me...drinks by the fire...my bed...” Kakashi held up his pinky and Sakura, rolling her eyes but smiling, linked her pinky with his.

**oooo**

Kakashi and his team were gone, and Sakura was back at his apartment, fixing herself a plate of the dinner he had prepared them. She was pretty impressed; he'd managed a filet mignon main course, a mixed herb salad with homemade dressing for (she assumed) the appetizer, and a dark chocolate and cheese plate for dessert. She also noticed he'd moved a bottle of sparkling wine from the wine fridge under the counter to an ice bucket on the island. He had even set proper places at his dining room table, complete with two different wine glasses and a salad fork to boot. Sakura had to hand it to him- Kakashi _definitely_ knew how to woo a girl.

She was just pouring dressing over her salad when there was a knock at the door, and she heard Ino calling her name. “Sakura, you there? C'mon, open the door!”

Sakura sighed and stood from the table to let Ino in. Surprised, Sakura saw that Ino had also changed- where they had both been in their finest date wear only an hour or so ago, now the two friends each wore a pair of sweats and a long-sleeved shirt. Sakura had kept Kakashi's shirt on, liking how it felt on her, and from how oversized the hoodie Ino was wearing was, she assumed it was Kankuro's.

“I figured you'd still be here. Room for one more?” Ino gestured to the other plate on the table.

Sakura shrugged. “Might as well. Tsunade screwed us both over tonight, eh?”

Ino nodded vigorously, spearing the other filet with her fork and slapping it on a plate. “She's a menace, honestly.”

“You know what I think,” Sakura swallowed a mouthful of arugula, pushing the bottle of wine towards Ino, “Jiraiya hasn't been around for a while, and she thinks well, if _I'm_ not getting any, nobody else is either.”

“That's disgusting, Sakura. And probably true.” Ino shuddered, cutting into her meat. “So, then you and Kakashi...” Ino raised an eyebrow and Sakura sighed again.

“Not yet. I mean god, we want to, but every time we've gotten close to anything, no dice. It's like this whole damn village is one huge cock block.”

Ino nodded knowingly. “Been there. It gets better...like, so much better. But there'll still be times when duty calls.” She poured a liberal amount of wine into each of their glasses.

Sakura had to be glad, at least, that her and Kakashi lived in the same village. She couldn't even imagine trying to make it work a whole country apart. For the first time, she truly appreciated how much Ino and Kankuro cared about each other.

“Thanks, Ino. And thanks for being here.” Sakura said warmly, glad she didn't have to be alone right now.

Ino beamed, clinking her glass against Sakura's.

**oooo**

All Tsunade wanted, Sakura was very irritated to learn, was a general report of her shifts at the hospital, which was almost never done in person. Instead they were submitted along with other paperwork at the end of each month to Shizune. The Hokage herself had never summoned a medic-nin before her for such an unnecessary task, which of course only added to Sakura's aggravation about the whole business to begin with- surely, _surely_ there were other shinobi available to send with Anko and Shikamaru. And what kind of sense did it make anyway, sending a Sand emissary on a Leaf mission?!

Sakura practiced deep breathing and tried to remember that it was Tsunade who had helped mold her into the kunoichi she was today, because her anger was getting dangerously high as Tsunade droned on and on about various protocols that Sakura could've recited in her sleep.

“And that's our mission as medical professionals, wouldn't you agree?” Tsunade looked primly over at Sakura, her hands folded beneath her chin.

“Just as you say, Hokage-sama.” Sakura said through clenched teeth, trying to force a civil smile.

This only seemed to amuse Tsunade further, and when she could finally see her student getting to the breaking point, she shook her head in a condescending way. “But you know, really, Sakura, Shizune should be hearing all of this. I'll just call her and we can start again from the top-”

Sakura clenched onto the sides of her chair so hard her knuckles were white, dents splintered on the chair from her grip. Tsunade, with a slow smirk, opened the door, and Sakura stood, raising a fist to her sensei's back. Instead of calling for Shizune, however, Tusnade turned to Sakura, gave a dismissive wave, and Sakura sprang up, stalking past Tsunade without a word.

As she turned towards the hallway, Sakura could hear Tsunade's peals of laughter behind the now closed office door.

**oooo**

After that, Sakura frequently went back to Kakashi's. He had given her a key ages ago, and she had always felt welcome enough to come and go as she pleased. Her excuse was that she needed to water his plants, though this task was already seen to by his housekeeper, but she thought it sounded better to her friends than the truth; she desperately needed to be where his presence was, where his smell was. It was comforting to think that she was standing in the places he had.

Sakura never stayed long, just long enough to walk through the freshly-cleaned apartment, to gaze fondly at the sofa, remembering how Kakashi had told that he could love her how she wanted, recalling how it felt as he was hovering above her, pulling her dress off.

The days passed into weeks, Fall faded into Winter, and with it came the flurry of family scuffles and weather-related injuries that always clogged the hospital this time of year.  
Typically Sakura enjoyed the holidays, as they meant time with friends she usually didn't get to see that often, frequent trips to the hot cocoa stands in the marketplace, and giving gifts to those she cared about. This year, however, she couldn't get into the spirit no matter how hard she tried, though she knew that Kakashi would want her to be enjoying herself, not worrying about him.

Thankfully Sakura had Ino to whine to and her friend was just as pissed off about the mission as she was. Kankuro was supposed to be granted holiday leave by the Elders of Suna, and Ino told Sakura that after their mission was finished Shikamaru was planning on stopping in Konoha only long enough to make his report, then he would be hightailing it to Suna to spend what time he could with Temari.

The closer it got to Christmas, however, the less likely it looked that any of them would be with the men they loved.

**oooo**

“Ugh, how cliché would it be anyway? If they showed up right on Christmas Eve, right as it started to snow? I'm _so_ not into all that sappy crap.” Ino sniffed and tossed the newspaper down on the table inside the cafe she and Sakura were huddled in.

Sakura wrapped her freezing hands around her steaming coffee, deciding not to answer- Ino's questions had been rhetorical, and they were said, she knew, from a place of deep hope. It was obvious that Ino wanted nothing more than Kankuro to come sailing in, preferably at the stroke of midnight, right at Christmas morning, sweeping her up into his arms. A black velvet box with a very sparkly (and pricey if she knew anything about Ino's taste) ring in it wouldn't be amiss either, though Ino only hinted at that when she'd had too much pinot.

Honestly, it didn't sound half-bad to Sakura either, and though she wasn't the most sentimental person, the holiday would be a lot more enjoyable with Kakashi around. With him gone, she felt like her holiday spirit was non-existent. Who knew that, as with his presence, his absence would have such an effect on her?

“Anyway,” Ino sighed, as their lunch arrived, “heard any more from Kiba?”

Kiba had been very decent about the whole I-ditched-our-date-for-another-guy thing, and he was as genial and friendly as he'd ever been, but as the weeks passed and Kakashi still hadn't returned from his mission, he was hopeful that Sakura didn't want to be alone and that he could be her shoulder to cry on, her plus one, even if just for the time being. She knew he meant it from a good-natured place, and she didn't want anybody to get hurt, but she was sick of always trying to avoid him, of seeking out restaurants and coffee shops that were off the beaten path just so she didn't have to run into him and make yet another excuse as to why she couldn't go out with him that night. It was kind of impressive how her rejection never seemed to dampen his cheerful persistence, though, and she was nothing if not flattered by his attention. He was strong and cute and fun, and many a kunoichi would jump at the chance to be noticed by him. The fact remained, however, that Kakashi was the only man who could set her blood on fire, the only man who made her head spin and whose kiss she couldn't help wanting more of.

“He was at reception when I got to work yesterday, but Hami was a good sport- he told Kiba he didn't know when I'd be in, and even when I was, they were sure to be far too busy to allow me any kind of decent dinner break. Apparently Kiba mentioned a picnic in the greenhouse- you know the one on the roof? Honestly I don't know what else to say to him...”

Ino thoughtfully poured ketchup over her fries. “I mean, c'mon. Logically, he's got to know that he can't hold a candle to Kakashi.”

Sakura shrugged. “You can't really compare the two...”

“Well,” Ino smirked, “Kakashi is a _man_. Kiba is still a boy. And as soon as those losers do get back, I can't wait to hear just how much of a man he is, you know what I mean?”

Sakura cracked a smile- it felt like her first one in days. “You should know, Pig, that I don't kiss and tell.”

Ino snorted. “Yeah, me either.”

**oooo**

Kakashi squinted into the distance, his Sharingan whirring as he took in the valley below. Kankuro had gone ahead with Anko, then Shikamaru, and finally, himself bringing up the rear of their party. As leader, it was up to him to erase all traces of their presence, a task he didn't necessarily enjoy, but it took most of his focus and he could put Sakura and her soft whimpers, her scent, at the back of his mind.

Never for long, though. Eventually she filled his mind, his palms burned with longing, fingertips remembering how her skin had felt, its softness, its warmth. Her laugh haunted him at night and his dreams were dirty enough to put Jiraiya's most explicit chapters of _Icha Icha_ to shame. Being away from Sakura was quite possibly going to drive him into a deep, dark, blue-balled insanity.

A few minutes later Kakashi found himself landing smoothly from the tree cover and into the center of their camp. Kankuro had set up the tents, Anko working to start a small fire, while Shikamaru sat in front of a smooth, flat rock, beginning their evening meal preparation. The mission so far had proved a success, success meaning that they hadn't been attacked by more than a few rogue ninja on the outskirts of distant villages. Even once they'd reached Lightning, it had gone as easily as could be hoped, and their diplomatic demands had been satisfied. Kakashi held several very confidential and prized scrolls that were for Tsunade's eyes only from the Lightning Daimyo, and they were finally on their way back to Konoha, though much later than any of them had originally planned. The whole of Lightning country seemed to have come out for their visit, and they had been forced to politely spend at least two extra weeks attending various festivals, meetings, and state dinners. 

“Ino is gonna be so pissed that I'm not back.” Kankuro muttered as he scratched off another day on the pocket-sized calendar he always kept with him.

“Don't even remind me.” Shikamaru said, not bothering to look up from the vegetables he was chopping. “Temari probably won't talk to me for at least a week.”

“I seem to recall you telling her, on occasion, that she talked too much anyway.” Kakashi said, annoyed at both of them; how pathetic was it when he had to be jealous of these two, because they'd managed to do what he hadn't- bed their girls?

“Yeah well it's a drag anyway, but who knew I'd miss her dulcet tones.” Shikamaru replied, tossing onion chunks into a skillet pan.

“Yeah yeah, cry me a friggen river.” Anko said, adding a few dry sticks to the fire. “Ten to one they don't even miss you that much. Stop getting your panties in a wad.”

Kankuro and Shikamaru glanced at each other, then hastily away, but didn't reply to Anko. They'd had their asses kicked far too often by her, when they got too whiny. For this, at least, Kakashi had to be grateful. Having worked with Anko many times in the past, he knew she didn't suffer sentiment in the field. Besides, she herself wanted to get home as much as they did; who wanted to spend the holidays sleeping on the frozen ground, eating Shikamaru's subpar cooking? She wanted a pleasant, warm body in her bed as much as the next guy.

“Panties aside,” Kakashi said, sitting cross-legged in front of the fire, pulling out a map of the area, “we need to set up watch for the night. We should be able to cover a large distance tomorrow, if we break camp at dawn. I don't want to have to slow down until nightfall.”

Anko raised an eyebrow at him, but said nothing as she stood to shove Shikamaru out of the way, adding an extra shake or two of salt to the stir fry that was now starting to sizzle over the fire.

So yeah, Kakashi was being hasty. There was no need for them to dispatch so early, and they certainly didn't need to push themselves, not when they were just barely starting their return journey. But they had had plenty of time to rest, and Kakashi was determined for them to make it within sight of the Hidden Cloud village by dusk tomorrow. If they could keep that pace, they would be back in the Leaf within a few days.

“I'll take first watch. We'll do two hour rotations. Strict orders to hit the sac as soon as the fire's out.” Kakashi estimated they had an hour to sunset, which was plenty of time to eat, clean up, and prepare their weapons for the night patrols. Kami willing, Kakashi could make good on his promise to Sakura. The idea of finally having her all to himself was the only thing that was keeping his head remotely in the game.

**oooo**

“Oh. My. _GOD_. What are you doing?!” Sakura shrieked, instinct telling her to slam the exam room door shut on the horrifying scene before her, but anger rendering that instinct quite unusable. 

Naruto looked helplessly up at her, caught literally with his pants around his ankles, and Hinata looked- well, if Sakura hadn't been so outraged (not jealous, though, she would never in a thousand hell-soaked years admit to being jealous of Naruto), she probably would've been laughing. Hinata was beet red as she hurried to pull down her shirt, zipping up her jacket with trembling hands.

“We were just- I mean, _I_ was just,” Naruto stammered, shooting glances at Hinata, who Sakura could see physically willing the floor to swallow her whole.

“Ugh, it's fine. You're not the first and sadly for me, you definitely won't be the last. Sorry I kept you waiting so long.” Sakura muttered, and Hinata, unable to meet Sakura's eye, gave a nod and rushed out of the room.

“Way to go Sakura, god!” Naruto hissed, “she'll never want to see me again now!” Naruto angrily pulled his pants back up, fixing his askew headband. “It's taken weeks to even get her to take off-” Naruto stopped abruptly, fixing Sakura with a glare. “Let's just say that I've some damage control to do, thanks to you. Ever hear of knocking, sheesh.”

Sakura rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath as she moved around the room, pulling down Naruto's chart and getting a fresh box of gloves. After a few moments of silence, Naruto's anger seemed to fizzle, and he held perfectly still as Sakura looked in his ears and checked the lymph nodes in his throat.

“So, no Kakashi-sensei yet?” Naruto ventured.

Sakura made a noncommittal noise in the back of her throat, and possibly out of spite for his question, shoved the cold bell of her stethoscope up his back.

“It's okay, Sakura. He'll be back soon. You know sensei, he never does anything on time.” Naruto met her eye for a second, and Sakura's face softened. He had to know that she wasn't only irritated with being separated from Kakashi for so long (as of course it was a fact widely known, even by him, that Kakashi and Sakura did not function well without each other), but that deep down, she was worried about him. There hadn't been any word from the team, not that there typically would be. No, in a case like this, no news was good news. If Kakashi or any of the rest of them had been seriously injured or attacked, Tsunade would know about it, and though her master could be as cold-blooded as any ninja, Sakura knew Tsunade would never keep her in the dark about somebody she so dearly cared about. Shizune herself had mentioned only this morning that if the team hadn't shown up to Lightning reasonably on time, there would have been word from the Daimyo.

“Kinda weird, isn't it?” Naruto said with a laugh, as Sakura jotted down some notes in his chart. “How things have changed so much.”

Sakura raised an inquiring eyebrow, and Naruto shrugged. “I mean, you used to be in love with, you know, Sasuke, I used to be in love with you...”

Sakura had to laugh at that. “You always were sweet, Naruto, but we both know you weren't really in love with me. It wasn't anything like you have with Hinata, right?”

Naruto nodded vigorously. “Not that you aren't one of the prettiest girls ever, Sakura, but Hinata is...” Naruto scratched the back of his neck, searching for the words.

“I get it. It's like, well, it's like trying to compare Sasuke and Kakashi. We were different people back then. And so were they.”

Naruto let out a deflated sigh. They could rarely bring up their long lost teammate without sinking into low spirits. Naruto may have grown up enough to realize that every person had to make their own choices and Sasuke had defected to his own path, but he would always put some of the blame on himself for failing to retrieve him.

Sakura was _so_ not in the mood for a rehashing of their past failures. She was already depressed enough, and the forecast for the evening was heavy, freezing sleet, which would mean a packed ER. That wasn't much to look forward to.

“Hey, Sakura,” Naruto said, turning back to her before leaving the room, “why don't you spend Christmas with us? Hinata already promised to come over for Christmas Eve. You could come so you don't have to be alone! I think Kiba is going to-”

“Oh no,” Sakura broke in with a wry smile, “thanks, though. It's really nice of you, but I've already got plans.” So her plans were nothing more than to lock herself inside Kakashi's apartment, holding up her end of his promise. But Naruto didn't need to know that. Besides, she didn't think she could stomach Hinata and Nartuo making googly eyes at each other over the Christmas ham.

“That's great! You really shouldn't spend the holiday alone, you know.”

“Thanks for the advice,” Sakura grumbled, “now get out of my hospital before I tell Neji what you were doing to his cousin. He still isn't very thrilled you're dating, is he?” Sakura gestured her head out the open door, to where they could both see Neji seated in the waiting room.

Naruto's earlier glare returned. “You know, you're getting more like Granny every day.” But he said it in such a way that Sakura took it to be a compliment, and she greeted her next appointment as cheerfully as she could.

**oooo**

Several days passed in a blur. The weather was unrelenting, the streets and sidewalks pooling with muddy puddles. An influx of colds and even several cases of pneumonia were treated by Sakura, the latter of which was from shinobi more determined than sensible, who had decided their training could not cease even for a winter monsoon. At last, though, the clinic was steadily becoming more deserted.

Late afternoon on Christmas Eve found Sakura sitting by herself at the front desk. Technically the clinic was closed through the holiday, though there were still several interns milling about the building, a nurse somewhere nearby as well, in case an emergency happened. Kakashi's was the only team currently dispatched, and as Tsunade had full confidence that all four of them were in more or less perfect health, she'd given the all-clear for the rest of the staff to skive off early.

Shizune and Ino had left hours ago, and Sakura knew she should get out of here too, before her luck ran out and she found herself cornered in an empty building by Kiba, who had left several messages on her answering machine only yesterday.

The sun had begun to set, not that there had been much sunshine this last week, and as Sakura stepped outside, pulling Kakashi's jacket tightly around her (she knew she should have given it back to him, should have hung it up in his closet, at least, but she had been so used to keeping it with her on these chilly days), she felt a decided drop in the temperature. Perhaps there would be snow tonight, after all.

Deciding that now would be as good a time as any to head to Kakashi's, Sakura hurried there, anxious to get out of the cold and to settle in for the night. She knew that it would have been better for her to spend the night with friends, drinking and laughing at old jokes, maybe exchanging a gift or two. Ino, Kiba, and Shizune had each sent her invitations, but she had declined them all. A night in, wearing comfy sweats and ordering take out, sounded so much better to her. She was vastly different from Ino in this instance; Ino would don the shortest skirt she owned, slip into her sexiest heels, and spend the night at one of the upscale clubs downtown. Ino wouldn't let her loneliness and misery get her down. Sakura, on the other hand, would indulge in some hot chocolate, possibly with some red wine mixed in, and then head to bed early.

It was too much to hope for, she knew, that she wouldn't wake up alone.

**oooo**

Sakura was twelve years old when she fell in love, but it was the wrong time, the wrong person. Love was such a flippant term anyway, and whatever fondness and warmth she felt for Sasuke became, after he'd left her, left Konoha, a cold obsession. It wasn't her own obsession, either, and it was in the moments of realizing that her heart could never truly belong to somebody who would betray the Leaf that Sakura left her childhood behind.

Ninja always grew up too soon. If you didn't you ended up six feet under, assuming they could find any body parts to bury. And that was if you were lucky, because if you weren't, you'd probably be taking teammates down with you, too. Naruto saw the truth of that, the reason of it, eventually. They would always miss Sasuke, but they'd both moved on from him, finding forgiveness in their wins instead of harping on their losses. 

Never one to lose faith or hope in the greater good of their calling as ninja, Sakura had poured her belief into her teammates, into Naruto and Sai and, as always, Kakashi. Even when Team Seven had disbanded and gone their separate ways, even when she couldn't in good faith call Kakashi _sensei_ anymore, he had always been the one she looked to, as an example and, well, as a hero. She realized now that she could never have loved anybody else, that nobody would ever or _could_ ever come close to Kakashi. Sakura needed somebody who had their life broken apart, who had their heart shattered, and then had rebuilt themselves. She needed that strength, that instinctual refusal to give up. She needed somebody who _understood_. And if he happened to make the entire world melt away with a single kiss that burned like fire, well...

**oooo**

The second bottle of wine went down even smoother than the first. It was from Kakashi's own collection, a fine bottle, aged and potent. Her head was foggy, her body light. Vaguely she knew she ought to fix herself something to eat, that she should be trying to soak up the booze instead of wanting to add to her buzz, but she shrugged to herself as she poured what was left in the bottle into her glass.

After a long soak in Kakashi's jacuzzi tub, she'd thrown on one of his blue long-sleeved shirts, overlarge on her, and crawled into his bed. Of course, the first time she had planned on being in this particular bed would have been during (or after, depending on Kakashi's creativity) their fist time shagging, but the expensive mattress and luxury linen sheets had been too much to resist. No wonder Kakashi was so lazy! She'd be hours late every day too if she had this slice of heaven to sleep in. Sakura passed out in no time, and Kakashi found her, unconscious, naked except for his shirt, which had bunched at the small of her back. 

The sight of her there, smooth, bare, voluptuous, and in his own bed, was almost too much to take. He slipped his sandals off, tossing his gloves down on the nightstand. Always a light sleeper, even after alcohol and the tub, due to her medical and ninja training, Sakura jerked awake at the sound of leather hitting wood, and gasped at Kakashi's form. She immediately recognized his chakra, and she rubbed her eyes blearily, as though trying to be sure she wasn't hallucinating. 

"Sensei," She breathed, when he came close to her, sitting on the bed beside her, his hand finding her cheek. He pulled her to him in a blistering kiss, and Sakura, her insides alive, burning, responded immediately, pulling herself onto his lap, straddling him. Her bare centre was pressed against the ever-hardening bulge in his pants, and they both let out guttural groans at the friction. "Get these off," Sakura demanded, tugging at his belt. She was sure the front of his pants was wet from her; she just had to be near him and she was dripping. A rather unfair advantage, but then he didn't seem to mind all that much. Kakashi fumbled with his pants, and finally, _finally_ he was free, long and hard and so thick, ready for her, to fill her, to soothe the very particular ache that had been present since he'd left. 

"Are you sure?" Kakashi asked, his voice huskier than normal. "This is how you want it to be?" 

"We can take our time later," Sakura said decisively, "but I might literally die if you don't..." 

Kakashi smirked, hands cupping her ass. "Don't what?" 

Sakura moaned as his lips found her neck, and she thought she would combust right then and there if he didn't get on with it. "Fuck me." She said breathlessly, and that was all, really, that Kakashi needed to hear. With lightning speed he positioned himself, tip against her entrance, and already it felt like heaven, like velvet and- 

" _Good girl_ ," Kakashi said gruffly, as Sakura slid down on him, tight and warm and _wet_ , as perfect as he'd always fantasized her to be. Sakura sucked in a breath, trying to steady herself. Kakashi filling her, stretching her, was as close to heaven as she was sure she was ever going to get. Not until this very moment, when she felt completely whole, had she realized how incomplete she'd been without him. His absence had left a gaping hole inside of her, left her hollow; and now, him filling up every part of her, she finally felt like she could _breathe_ again. 

"You could speed it up," Sakura muttered, her face flushed and her heart pounding. She wasn't sure how much longer could hold out. Kakashi smirked at her again, and in her haze Sakura realized he'd taken his mask off. He was so handsome; classically so. His smile was devastating, and Sakura thought that maybe he donned the mask out of consideration for the pathetically hormonal masses (of which she was, sadly, a part of). How could anyone get any real work done with him around, looking that? 

"I could," Kakashi agreed, "but this," he thrust upward slowly, hands on both of her hips, rolling deliberately against her, "is so much more fun." Sakura groaned loudly, unable to help herself, to contain her hunger. Kakashi drove her crazy, and was as skilled in pleasuring her as she always thought he would be. Damn him, he just had to be perfect at everything, didn't he? If it wasn't so thrilling, if he wasn't so _damn incredible_ , it would definitely have been annoying. 

"Please, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura wheedled, the heat between them becoming oppressive. It was pure chemistry, not just the thrill of the moment; their bodies were made for each other. The way Kakashi pulled out and in, Sakura's body rippling with bliss and greed, the way he kissed her, so deeply and so passionately, how his fingers expertly rolled her nipples between them, eliciting fire within her chest ...it was unlike anything she had ever experienced, and she knew, with complete certainty, that it didn't get better than this, better than Kakashi making love to her, to _only_ her. 

"Well," He pretended to mull it over, hands now running up her back, "since you asked nicely." He gripped her, hard, and in half a second was pumping in and out of her with fervor. Sakura gasped, furiously trying to keep pace with him, until her whole body clenched (she could, almost from far off, hear Kakashi grunt and cling tighter to her), and she _definitely_ saw stars, lost in a fog of receding intensity. Kakashi gently lifted her off of him, and exhausted, held her to him, his chest against her back. His hands couldn't stand to be idle, though, and they traced every curve of her body, softly cupping her breasts, or pressing against her centre, still slick with both of their orgasms. 

"We should shower," Sakura said vaguely, though she doubted she'd be able to move. She was lucky she could string two coherent words together at this point. 

"Mmm. In just a few." Kakashi murmured back, and for a second he contemplated dipping a finger in between Sakura's legs, stoking the fire that he could still feel burning inside of them both. He didn't have much strength, but pulling another orgasm from Sakura, feeling her walls clench around his fingers, drenching his hand...that, he could do even on his deathbed. 

"Do you like morning sex?" Sakura asked, and she hoped to Kami the answer was yes because she couldn't conceive of anything else they could do tomorrow except screw wildly.  
They'd earned it, after all. 

"Morning, mid morning, late morning, _all_ morning..." Kakashi said, trailing off, stifling a yawn. 

"Good." Sakura said, and she pulled the duvet over them both. Kakashi snaked his arms around her, one under her head, the other over her hip, and Sakura, at peace and sated (for the moment), drifted off, praying for the blizzard to snow them in. Earlier, a blizzard had seemed like the worst thing the could have happened. Now, it would ensure complete privacy and endless hours together. 

Even Tsunade couldn't send either of them off on some ridiculous mission in the middle of a snow storm.

**oooo**

The next morning Sakura refused to open her eyes. Her dream had felt so real, so goddamn real, that she couldn't stand to accept it was just that, a dream. She blindly felt beside her and the bed cold and empty. Of course it would be. Kakashi wasn't back yet, after all. She'd been so desperate and horny and hopeful, and that coupled with the wine...well, she'd have to be more careful, until Kakashi got back. She wanted to cry, felt that gaping hole in her chest quiver, and was on the verge of deciding to brave whatever weather awaited her outside and track down Tsunade, demand to know if there had been any updates in Kakashi's status, when she heard the shower start in the en suite bathroom. 

Her stomach was suddenly full of butterflies. Could it be? Was there a possibility that last night been _real_? Slightly shaky, and ignoring that she was completely naked, Sakura crept towards the bathroom, grabbing the doorjamb for support when she saw Kakashi's silver hair through the glass shower door. So he was home?! Last night hadn't been the absolute best dream she'd ever had in her entire life? Sakura had been so sure the wine and the holiday angst had made her fantasies feel so life-like. Sakura rushed to the shower door and yanked it open, just to check, just to be sure, and Kakashi turned, regarding her with a raised eyebrow. 

"Awake, are you? About time. I didn't think I could wait much longer." 

Sakura swallowed thickly, her eyes trailing down Kakashi's body. She'd seen him naked plenty of times, of course, but this time was different, _he_ was different. This wasn't a routine physical, or the cramped quarters of a mission. This was the morning after they'd fucked, and he was _sublime_. Perfect wasn't apt enough. He was superhuman in his beauty. His muscles were hard, ropy, glistening with spray from the shower head. HIs impeccable jawline was carved from the purest marble, the slight amount of silver stubble adding just the right amount of ruggedness to his features. Licking her lips, Sakura's gaze now moved below his torso, to the silver curls that pulled her eyes to his length. Her entire body clenched involuntarily. 

Kakashi chuckled at her lengthy examination. "I'll be out in one minute. Promise." He winked at her then closed the glass door. 

Sakura nodded dumbly, and decided she should probably do some grooming of her own. She hurried to the marble vanity and had quickly brushed her teeth, combed out her hair, and washed her face. Remembering last night, she ran a warm washcloth between her legs and down her inner thighs. Feeling slightly better, she got back into the big bed and pulled the covers up over her. It was chilly in here, but she was positive Kakashi would be warming her up in no time. 

"Sakura," Kakashi called, from somewhere in the apartment, "come out here, would you?" 

Sakura left the warmth of the bed, but was loath to put any clothes on. Kakashi certainly didn't seem to mind her nakedness, and she didn't want to waste any time they could be using for sex to take silly pajamas off. 

"Are you-" Sakura came into the living room, then stopped short. She could now see the weather outside- treetops in frosted white, gray clouds, snow falling. The clouds were so thick that almost no natural light was filtering in through the large windows. Instead, most of the light came from a roaring fire in the hearth. Kakashi had moved the coffee table and scooted the couch back, and laid down one of his softer blankets right in front of the fire. On the table were two tall glasses of water, which Sakura thought was pretty thoughtful; hopefully they would be needing continued rehydration throughout the whole day... 

"Join me?" Kakashi asked, holding out his hand, his eyes greedily taking her in. His sharingan lingered on her breasts and hips, and Sakura felt oddly sexy; it wasn't a feeling she usually had. Kakashi brought it out in her, though, and made her feel every bit as feminine and desirable as she always wanted to be. Kakashi himself was wearing only a pair of dark blue boxer briefs, something Sakura thought very unfair. Sakura gave him her hand, and he pulled her to him, their bodies flush, and he kissed her, so softly and gently that Sakura thought she would melt. It was a change from the urgency of last night, but it wasn't unwelcome. On the contrary, her knees felt weak with his touch. He pulled away and indicated that she should sit in front of the fire. She did, crossing her legs and looking up at him.

"Is this," Kakashi pulled something off the mantle, "something you'd...want?" He showed her what it was; a strip of black satin. Sakura, perplexed and intrigued, nodded. "Good girl." He said kneeling down to her, nipping at her ear, and Sakura, cursing her extreme lack of willpower, felt wetness begin to pool between her thighs. He made quick work of binding her hands together, murmuring seductively in her ear that she should tell him if it was too tight. 

"What about this?" Kakashi held up his own headband- a clean one, she knew, the silver on the front even polished. She blanched- she wanted to see him, to see every part of him! Although a part of her, a larger part than she'd ever given a thought to, was still intrigued. "Hmmm, you need some persuading I see." 

Sakura raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you trust me?" He asked, and suddenly he was hovering over her. Sakura nodded; of course she did, was it not completely obvious how at his surrender she was? "Close your eyes and lay back." He whispered, his mouth on the corner of her lips, on her cheeks, her forehead. She did as he asked, earning another "good girl" from Kakashi, and she would've sworn her arousal had started to drip down her leg. "Mmm." Kakashi hummed, and she felt his tongue against her knee, licking a line up her thigh. "So good," He said, and Sakura felt him position himself between her knees. 

"Sensei," She said, eyes springing open, sitting up in a panic, struggling slightly with her hands tied, "I haven't, you know. Showered or shaved." 

Kakashi scoffed. "Do you think I care about that? 'Sides, you taste so good, it's like...cotton candy. Now lie back, Sakura, and keep your eyes closed." Sakura sighed, but if he said it didn't matter...and then, Kakashi's fluttering kisses found their mark, his mouth hot against her core, pushing between her glistening, puffy lips, licking her up and down, as though she were a popsicle, as though she tasted divine. His tongue flicked her clit, and her entire body jolted, as though a current of electricity had shot through it. Sakura wanted to look, wanted to see what Kakashi was going to do next, but it was kind of exciting, not knowing what to expect...she could swear every nerve in her body was a live wire, ready and waiting in anticipation for whatever Kakashi would do. 

" _Yes_ ," Sakura said, pleading, "yes, I'll wear it, you can do whatever you want." Her words came out breathy, and she felt Kakashi grin against her hip, felt his heat slip away as he stood, and then he was fastening the headband over her eyes. 

"Whatever I want? So generous..." Kakashi said in a primal voice, and Sakura nodded vigorously. He knew her body better than she did, knew what would bring her to the edge, knew how make her writhe and beg. She was entirely his, to do with as he pleased. "On your knees." He commanded, and Sakura readily complied, rewarded for her swiftness with an appreciative squeeze of her ass. "Like a peach." Kakashi said, and he ran his index finger along her glistening slit, Sakura moaning deeply at the contact. She pushed back against his touch, hoping for him to slide a finger inside of her. She was ready for it, again, ready for the ache to be filled. Kakashi readily complied, and Sakura gasped as he added a second finger, gently spreading them inside of her, readying her for him. She could've cum like that, his fingers pumping, spreading the wetness, but he had other plans in mind, and he pulled his hand from her, leaving her empty and longing worse than before. 

"Unfair," She whined, but Kakashi swatted at her butt with in a sharp, but oddly sensual, rebuke. 

"Don't be a brat," he warned, pulling her hips firmly back against him. 

"Me? Never." Sakura said sweetly, and Kakashi smacked her ass again, harder this time. Sakura was barely able to conceal a sigh of pleasure at the sting.

"Gotta show you who's in charge around here I guess," Kakashi pulled her roughly up against him, so she was upright on her knees. one arm around her shoulders, the other at her waist. His fingers automatically found her clit, rubbing it in wide circles. Sakura's knees started to buckle, but Kakashi held her tighter, forcing her to stay up, to take the delicious torture. "You are only to give in when _I _say so." He growled, and Sakura moaned as molten heat threatened to smother her, to pull her under in a a crashing wave. She wanted to cum so bad, _needed_ to. __

__"Please," she begged, half sobbing, as Kakashi pressed harder into her clit, "I want to so bad, I need to, please sensei," she babbled, her body moving in motion with his hand. Kakashi kissed behind her ear, whispering into it, his tongue lightly caressing the lobe._ _

__"Not yet, baby girl. Sssh, almost." And he dropped his hand once again breaking contact, leaving Sakura whimpering. "Hands and knees," Kakashi said, his commanding tone back, and Sakura couldn't obey fast enough. He gripped her hips, pulling upward, so that her ass was in the air, her head resting now on her folded arms. Throbbing, so eager, he lined himself up against her and pushed, as slow as he had restraint to, unable to quiet the groan of satisfaction that ripped from his chest as he slid into her. Sakura was, if possible, louder, and he could already feel her walls starting to contact, to squeeze him, vice-like, to draw out his seed in a mind-blowing orgasm. But he wasn't ready yet, not ready for round one to be over. He wanted to savor this, to set the pace for the rest of the day._ _

__He finally had Sakura all to himself, a willing Sakura, a _desperate_ Sakura, and he wasn't going to relinquish that easily. Now that he had her, he wouldn't let her go. _ _

__**oooo** _ _

__"Yes, Sakura?" Tsunade said primly, looking innocently up at Sakura over the top of a scroll. Sakura glowered._ _

__"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm here about." Sakura thrust several pages of paperwork down on the desk, indicating it with a sharp jab. Tsunade looked mildly at it, then glanced back up to Sakura._ _

__"But what is the issue? I've never granted leave on New Year's Eve before, Sakura."_ _

__"Shishou, I've never asked for time off, I've never taken a vacation. I've never even missed a shift, have I? Not in what, three years?"_ _

__"All true," Tsunade allowed, "yet I have a policy-"_ _

__"You've let the jonins off!" Sakura hissed, tapping another stack of papers that were perched on the corner of Tsunade's desk. They were all signed and approved time off requests._ _

__"Ah, but none of them are my prized medic, Sakura. In fact, they're hardly prizes at all, now that I think about it. Some of them," Tsunade fingered a page that had the Hatake crest on it, "are far, far more trouble than they're worth."_ _

__"The other medics are more than capable of running things without me. Two days Shishou, that's all I'm asking. Just two days to start the year right, to start it the way it should be- should always have been."_ _

__"In a sake-induced sexual frenzy, you mean?" Tsunade rolled her eyes._ _

__"As Nature intended, of course." A voice from the door said, and Sakura's eyes brightened as they both looked at Kakashi, who stood there against the frame. Sakura couldn't help the increasing staccato of her heart whenever he entered the room. Tsunade surveyed them both, a slight grimace on her face. It had been so much easier when Sakura was oblivious to her feelings for Kakashi, and Kakashi still had the self-control to stay away from her. Now, they were both so moony eyed for each other that she felt she was going to be sick whenever they were in the room together._ _

__"I could, of course, be persuaded." She said after a moment, and Sakura's eyes, wide and hopeful, turned to her. Kakashi, however, narrowed his gaze. He didn't trust Tsunade farther than he could throw her when it came to negotiations._ _

__"For what in return?" Kakashi asked, tugging lightly on the ends of Sakura's headband. They would never be an overtly physical couple, not in public anyway, but the small flirtations, the little caresses, were enough to make those around them as uncomfortable as if they had been full blowing making out. Probably because each of them had been so closed off, before, lone wolves who, even with the odd date, had never been part of a couple. It was, frankly, weird to spot them now, strolling up the street, hands entwined, or to catch them staring into each other's eyes at a table in the cafeteria._ _

__"Oh, well, that depends on what you're willing to give, of course." Tsunade gave them a dazzling smile, meant to disarm, but Kakashi had figured as much._ _

__"Two A ranks." He said, and Tsunade let out an offended huff. "Only two? Surely Sakura means more to you than that. That's a cake walk. Gai could do that in his sleep."_ _

__Kakashi sighed. "Two A ranks and a B rank."_ _

__"Shishou you aren't seriously going to- " Sakura began hotly, but she was ignored by both Kakashi and Tsunade._ _

__"Four A ranks, two B ranks, and a guest lecture to Iruka's new batch of genin hopefuls." Kakashi glowered even deeper, and Tsunade grinned like the Cheshire cat._ _

__"Oh, Sakura, I never had the chance to give you your present, did I? Well, here you are. Go on, open it!" Tsunade had reached under her desk and pulled out a thin, black box with a green bow._ _

__"This is hardly the time," Sakura hissed, but Tsuande held up her hand to silence her, and encouraged her with a wave towards the box. "Ugh, fine," Sakura muttered, and she ripped the bow off the box, opening it and moving aside the delicate tissue paper inside. Kakashi's eye was reduced to a slit by now, when Sakura held up Tsunade's gift. A shimmering, gold string bikini, hardly enough fabric to to be called "decent". Sakura's moth fell open. She would be practically naked in this! Sure she had been in the market for a new bathing suit, ever since Kakashi had suggest a New Year getaway to a remote, luxury desert spa in Suna, but this wasn't exactly what she'd had in mind._ _

__"A shame you won't have any place to wear this to, isn't it?" Tsunade murmured, her eyes on Kakashi. "And it would so flatter you."_ _

__"An S rank and one lecture." Kakashi growled, and Tsunade, triumphant, spread her arms wide._ _

__"Only if you think that's fair, of course. I'll have Shizune start the paperwork?"_ _

__Kakashi gave a curt nod and pulled Sakura, who was hastily putting the bikini back into its box, from the room, Tsunade's victorious chuckles following them until they entered the stairwell. "That old bat is a menace," Kakashi muttered as they left the building. "A master manipulator. No wonder Jiraiya's scared of her."_ _

__"You're really going to give up an S rank check? That could pay your rent for half the year." Sakura said, uncomfortable at being the subject of so much lost wealth. While Shizune had mentioned the village budget was extra tight this next year, she never imagined Tsunade would hold a vacation over a jonin's head to avoid a mission payout._ _

__"Sakura," Kakashi admonished, "I don't care about that. I just didn't want to give her what she wanted."_ _

__"She's punishing me," Sakura said, guiltily. "She thinks I'm being naive. Like I haven't considered all my possibilities, or that I'm doing something...wrong, somehow." They hadn't really mentioned it, but Sakura knew once their relationship became public knowledge, there would be some pushback. Her parents were going to shit themselves, no doubt. They'd always liked Kakashi, of course, but he'd never been screwing their daughter before, either. Fourteen years age difference might seem, to many, an insurmountable issue._ _

__Kakashi chuckled. "Punishing _me_ , more like. She'll never forgive me for falling in love with you. She'd rather pretend that my attraction to you is completely physical; hence the bikini. She doesn't want to believe that I really could take away her prized student." _ _

__Sakura scoffed. "Take me away? What, does she think that I'm going to suddenly want to stay home, popping out babies and baking? Hard pass." Sakura wrinkled her nose. She just couldn't picture that life for herself, and Kakashi wouldn't want a wife like that, anyway._ _

__"It _is_ a bit soon to be worrying about that far in the future," Kakashi agreed, giving Sakura a sideways glance, "but Tsunade knows that I don't do anything halfway. Not the things that matter." _ _

__"Mmmm..." Sakura murmured, her mind jumping to Kakashi's bedroom, to the shower, to the kitchen counter. Kakashi most certianly did _not_ do things halfway..._ _

__"What do you say we skip the dinner reservations and go home? See how this really does look on you?" Kakashi poked the box with his finger, one arm already around Sakura's waist. She nodded vigorously, his lips on her neck as they disappeared in a puff of smoke._ _

__**oooo** _ _

__And the new year, indeed, did start off right. Though they hardly left their hotel room (in fact, they only managed it once, to meet Ino, Kankuro, Shikamaru, and Temari for dinner at a local pub), though there was no revelry or large celebration with champagne and their friends, Sakura had never felt happier or more positive about what lay ahead. It was doubtful that her passion for Kakashi would ever cool, that she could stand to keep her hands off of him for more than five minutes, but who could blame her? But as none of her work suffered, as the only side effect to being Kakashi's girlfriend seemed to be a few dreamy silences here and there, Tsunade certainly couldn't complain, though she found plenty of opportunity to._ _

__Their friends and teammates took to the news pretty much as they'd expected. Naruto was glad for the both of them, though he wondered why Sakura would want some old man. Gai still burst into happy tears whenever he saw them together, and Anko couldn't help giving Sakura a shit-eating grin from time to time. Jiraiya gave Kakashi's a hearty slap on the back when he heard the news, and credited himself for Kakashi's burst of courage in going after such a pretty, strong medic. After all, his influence and a past chapter of student and sensei forbidden love was sure to have been the catalyst that started the whole affair in the first place. Tsunade had broken three of Jiraiya's ribs for his comments, but as physical injury seemed to be a form of foreplay for the two Sannin, they were easily ignored and nobody actually felt sorry for the Toad Sage. Kiba, at last recognizing defeat, was happy for Sakura, though he was always sure to let her know that he was around if she ever needed him._ _

__After the initial shock wore off, it seemed that Sakura and Kakashi had been together forever. One without the other simply didn't make sense. In Sakura, Kakashi had found forgiveness, had found an understanding deep enough to free him from the shackles of his past, to help him cope with the guilt of long lost comrades and futures that could never have been. In Kakashi, Sakura had found unconditional love and a man who truly would never leave her. Each was needed, each was wanted. They built each other up and, when necessary, tore each other down._ _

__Even Tsunade, however grudgingly, however unwillingly, would admit that Sakura and Kakashi were, indeed, two halves of a whole._ _

__**Song used is Fire, by Bruce Springsteen.** __


End file.
